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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  873-4S03 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  canadien  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  bi.  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


n 

D 

□ 
n 


n 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 

Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommagie 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurde  et/ou  pelliculde 

Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  gdographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli6  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serree  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  int^rieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajout6es 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  6tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6t6  filmdes. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl^mentaires; 


The< 
to  th 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  M  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  rb.^roduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  m^thode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquds  ci-dessous. 


I      I    Coloured  pages/ 


D 


D 


Pages  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommag^es 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaurdes  et/ou  pellicul6es 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  d6color6es,  tacheties  ou  piqudes 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ditachdes 


□    Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

□    Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Qualiti  indgale  de  I'imi 


mpression 


Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  matdriel  supplementaire 


I      I    Only  edition  available/ 


Seule  Edition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6t6  filmdes  d  nouveau  de  facon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


The  I 
poss 
of  th 
filmi 


Origi 
begii 
the  I 
sion, 
othe 
first 
sion, 
or  ill 


The 
shall 
TINL 
whic 

Map 
diffe 
entir 
begii 
right 
requ 
metf 


( 

Phis  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  fitm6  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqud  ci-dessous 

10X 

1 

1 

14X 

1 

18X 

p-n 

22X 



26X 

30X 

1 1 

12X 

16X 

20X 

24X 

28X 

32X 

The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

National  Library  of  Canada 


L'exemplaire  film6  fut  reproduit  grdce  k  la 
g6ndrosit6  de: 

Bibliothdque  nationale  du  Canada 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Les  imagps  suivantes  ont  6X6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettet6  de  l'exemplaire  film6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  p"'  Med 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprim^e  sont  filmds  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmds  en  commenpant  par  la 
premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED "),  or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  -^^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
filmds  6  des  taux  de  reduction  diff^rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  gtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich6,  il  est  filmd  d  partir 
de  Tangle  supdrieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  hriut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mithode. 


1 

2 

3 

32X 


1 

2 

3 

4 

S 

6 

HB 


L^ 


^ 


Red  River  Colony 


!  I 


I 


I 


THE 


Red  River  Colony 


LY 


Augustus  L.  Chktlain. 


',  1 


CHICAGO.    ILL.: 
189.1. 


2363o3 


4 


I'KhNS    (IK 

V(  H,l  kst  IN    ,S:    S  lock  l(  iN 

CIIICA*;!  I 


1 


>  V 


•t 


f 


1 


licar    llic    ircail    of    iiioiicrr'-. 
()l    nalii)n-     \  v[    {>>    be. 
lie    first    l.iw     wash     mI     \va\cs    wlim;    -.uun 
^liall    roll    a    lumiaii    sea. 


IV/iittier. 


i  t. 


i 


I 


^i 


I'KI-.hACh. 

Ill      i'"^:-^      1     wiotf    a    ski'icli    ot     till-      Kr.l      Kivtr 
<t)l.)n\.    wlii(  li     was    |iiililislu'i|      III     tlif     I»f«  rmlMT    iiiiin 
her    iif     11,11  h'i\      \l,>iilhl\      Mil .;a  III,     dI      tliat    \car.        I 
had    with   <liHi(  iiliN  uliiaiiicd   ilu-    t,i<  t^  i:i\ m.    as   nothing; 
wriltciioi    |iiiiiiL'il  (  i.iiM    III'    I'oiiimI    relating'   to    the   c'vc--,> 
that    (i<  ciirri'd      at     ihc      Kcd     Kucr    >lM  ik-iiu'iil      hrtwffii 
iNi'i   and     iS^o.       I    had    to    rely   on    such   la<  ts   a>  coidd 
br    .ualhcrcd    I'roiii    Hnihl;    incinltfrs    of"     tlu-     joIomn.        I 
was    indc'htfd    to    iii\    iiiothi-r,    (who  dird   in    i.s.S;    at    (he 
a.Lie   id    S.S    mmis),    \\hosc    memory    was    ilrar    and  (  orri'i  t 
for   mosi    ol    the    fat  ts  dirc(tl\    connected  with  tliecohni) 
liiven    in    the  foHowini;    sketch,   which    is    ^u!>stantiallv  tlie 
same  as   that    published    |)\   ihe    nar|)ers.      I    have   aihlcd 
a    jiortion    of   the    I'.arl    ot    Selkirk's    statement,    |»rc|.arcd 
l>y   him     after    his     return     to     l",nj,dand     trom      the     set- 
tlement   in      i.SiO,    and     puhlisju'd    iti     London    in     iSiS. 
'I'liat     the     reader    ina\     lia\e     a     <  ()rre(  t     idea     of      ihe 
unfortunate   condition   of   attairs    in   the    scitKinent    from 
iSii    to     iNi(),    this     interesting'   little    hi>tor\     is    put     in 
this    form    to   be    placed    in    the   hands     of     tlu-    desctjnd- 
ants   of    thai     bra\e   band    of    emigrants,    that    lhe\      ma\ 
not    in    till'    future    be      it^norant    of    the    hardships   their 
ancestors     endured      when      voyaginj^      trom     the      fertile 
valleys    and   \ineclad    sl()|)es    of    the     Inra   to    seek     new 
homes   on   the    iidiosjiitable  plains   ot     tlie    fai-oft     Rujiert 
l,an<I. 

A.    I,.   (  Hi  1 1  \iN. 
Chicago,    ills..    April.    iN(;.v 


MAP  OF   linDBON    UAY    Ani>   TIIK   TKBUITOIIV    WKbTWaUD. 


\ 


Ri:i)  ki\i;k  colony. 

Tin-    exhaustion    ot     material    lofces    1)\-   ilu- 
Mapoleonie  wars,   uhieh  at  their  rh)se  at  Water- 
loo  had    enteehled    almost    to   the    last  i^asi)    all 
the   powers    that    IkuI    \)rcn    enL^aL^cd    in     them, 
had     ellects    eiiiially    powerl'iil     upon     the    soiial 
conditions    ol     lun'ope.        In     this     last     phase, 
indeed,    the   most    deplorable    results    are    set-n. 
I'he    populations    which    had    heen    reducetl    l)\- 
losses   in    hattle   and    1)\    disease    were  disheart- 
ened.   disoro-ani/ed„    impox-erished.        Successlul 
Inisiness   enterprises,   public   and    prixate,    which 
alone   can    restore   conlideiu'e    ami    happiness    in 
such   a   conjuncture,   were    impossible  and    unat- 
tempted.       ManulacturinL;'  industries  at  (u'st  lan- 
Lj-uished,    then    ceased     to   exist.      'I\)   (a'own    all 
tlu-se  miseries,  the   untimel\-  and  e\cessi\-e  rains 
in   tlu     summer    oi'     i  S  i()    had    so  tlamaL;-eJ   the 
cr()|)s  that  a   L;'<'neral   famine   was  apiirehended. 
Tlie     expense    and     dit'licult)-   ol'    transportation 


trnhanccd  tlic  cost  ot  all  necessaries  oi  lite. 
Ihe  price  ot  L;iain  rose  to  an  unprecedented 
heij4"ht.  .md  the  poorer  classes  suffered  tor  the 
want  ol  hrcad.  In  Switzerland  tlu-  distress 
was  orcater  than  in  an\-  other  ijart  ot"  Central 
lun'ope,  and  the  i)eoijle.  wt^aried  of  struiru-li;s 
which  resulted  in  tlu'ir  own  inipo\-erishment. 
listenetl  eagerly  to  the  stor\-  of  a  peaceful  and 
more   prosperous   countr\'  be\'ond   the   sea. 

A  few  years  earlier,  Thonias  Dundas,  l^arl 
of  Selkirk,  a  distiniji'uishetl  Scotch  nobleman  of 
j^rreat  wc!alth,  hatl  purchased  from  the  Hud- 
son Bay  Compan\-  a  lar^i'e  tract  of  land  in 
l^ritish  America,  extendinj^  from  the'  Lak(;  of 
the  Woods  and  the  Winnipesj;-  Ri\er  west- 
ward for  nearl)'  200  miles,  and  from  Lakes 
Winnipeii  and  Manitoba  to  the  United  States 
boundar)',  part  of  which  tract  is  now  embraced 
in  the  proxince  of  Manitoba,  and  in  wdiich  are 
the  fertile  lands  borderiuLr  on  the  Red  and 
Assiniboinc;  ri\ers.  It  formed  a  part  of 
"  Rui)ert  Land,"  nam(^d  m  honor  of  Prince 
Rupert,  or  Robt'rt,  of  Bavaria,  a  cousin  of  Kino- 
Charle's  II.  of  h>ngland,  and  one  oi  the  found- 
ers and  chief  manaj^ers  ot  the  Hudson  Bay 
Company.  Rupert  Lantl  was  somewhat  indefi- 
nite in  extent,  embracing-  all  that  portion  of 
I^ritish  America  that  pouretl  its  waters  into 
Hudson     iki\-,    and    was  drained   chiet1\-  b)-  the 

8 


. 


i 


(ircat  Whale,  Rupert.  Al^bitiljln;,  All)any. 
Severn.  Winnipeo-,  RvaI,  Assiniboine,  Sas- 
katcht^wan  and  Churchill  ri\-ers.  In  extent  it 
was  almost  e(iual  to  the  I'nited  States  prior 
to  its  accessions  afttn-  the  close  of  the  Mexi- 
can wai-.  It  was  the  oris^inal  jnn'pose  of  Lord 
Selkirk  to  settle  these  lands  with  colonists  from 
Scotland.  In  the  year  i  <S  i  i  he  had  succ(;(.'ded 
in  plantinor  a  lar^n;  colony  of  Presbyterians 
from  the  north  of  Scotland  and  a  ft;w  from 
the  north  of  Ireland  on  the  licxl  River,  near 
its  junction  with  the  Assiniboine.  This  was 
followed,  four  years  later,  by  two  more,  but 
smaller  colonies  from  the  same  section  of  Scot- 
land. In  consecjuence  of  the  stubborn  compi;- 
tition  and  the  bitter  dissensions  between  tin; 
Hudson  Hay  Compan\-and  the  Northwest  Com- 
pany of  Montreal,  these  colonists  were  com- 
pelled to  abandon  their  new  homes,  nearly  all 
of  them  removino;  to  Lower  Canada,  where 
they  believed  they  could  li\'e  in  i^reater  peace 
and   securit)-. 

Lord  Selkirk  entertained  nrrc^at  admiration 
for  the  character  of  the  Swiss,  and  havino-  failed 
in  his  emio;ration  schemes  with  his  own 
countrymen,  turned  his  attention  to  Switzer- 
land. He  ])rei)ared  ami  caused  tt)  be  pub- 
lished in  the  b^-ench  and  (iiTman  lanu-uaitres  a 
pamphlet  ,L,n\'in,L|  a   full   but  somewhat  exa,<,»-(rer- 


at(jcl  description  of  tlu;  new  coiintr)-.  its  cli- 
mate, soil  and  productions,  and  offered  to  all 
heads  of  families,  or  those  who  were  unmar- 
ried and  over  twent)'-one  \-ears  of  aij^e,  land 
free  of  cost,  with  seeds,  cattk?  and  farmini^ 
implements,  all  on  a  credit  of  three  )'ears.  It 
was  the  policy  of  the  British  i^oxernment  to 
favor  these  emi<,''ration  schemes,  the  statesmen 
of  that  da)-  believim^  that  the  reL;;-i(^n  in  cjuestion 
could  succcssfull)-  be  coloni/ed  and  settled  by 
wa\-  of  the  north  route,  \iz:  1  ludson  Hay,  Nel- 
son River  and  Lake  Winnipt.'^-.  The  pamphlet 
alluded  to  was  freel)'  tlistributed  by  Lord  Sel- 
kirk's ao-ents  in  the  h^-ench-speakin<4-  cantons 
of  Xeuchatel,  Vaud  and  (ienc;va,  and  in  the 
(ierman-sijeakino- canton  of  i)erne.  l\Ian\' voun'j 
and  middle-a^x^d  men  in  thc^se  cantons,  having- 
become  weary  of  the  condition  of  affairs  at 
home;,  decided  to  emiLrrate  to  British  America 
under  the  auspices  of  Lord  Selkirk,  and  formed 
a  colony  for  that  purpose.  It  was  a_L;-reed  to 
set  out  for  America  in  the  sprinor  of  1S21. 
The  colony  numbered  over  200  persons,  nearly 
three-fourths  of  whom  were  of  PVench  oriijin 
and  si)eakino-  that  lan<:^uacre.  They  were  Pro- 
testants in  faith,  and  belonq-ed  to  the  Reformed 
Lutheran  Church.  ALmy  of  the  families  were 
dt!scendants  of  the  Huoruenots  of  Eastern 
France  ;  all  were  healthy,  robust  and  well  fitted 


10 


i 


lor  the    labor  and    privations     incident   to  a   \\\r. 
ill   a   new   countr\- ;   most  of  thcni    wen;  lil)crall\' 
educated  and   possessed   of  considerable  means. 
.\mon_w-   the    more   prominent    iu:ads  of   families 
were  M()niiic:r  and    Kindeshacher  (the   senior,   of 
tht;   colon)-  in   a^-e,  and    men   of    culture   and   of 
influence     in     their    resix'ctive     localities),      Dr. 
Osterta.u-,     Chetlain     (ori.i^dnally     Chatelain)  and 
Descomhes  ;     and   of    the    unmarried,    Schirmer 
{afterward,    lor    a   score    of    \ears,     the   leadinq" 
jeweler  at  ( lalena,    Illinois),    (juinche  and    Lan- 
i^vA.      In   tl:e   forcL^-oin^-  names   miniit   be  added 
those  of   i^dirler,    Schadik(,M-,     I  lombert.     Tissot, 
Kbersol   Sunier,    Marchand,    'Ferret.    Iloftmann. 
Tubac.  (iilbert,  Cush,    Racine  and    Simon,  most 
of   whom   were   married.      In    the   families   there 
were,    as  it  happened,    but    few   children    under 
twelve   years  oi  a_o-e,  except   infants   in   arms. 

!n  the  month  of  Ma)-,  1S21.  the  prelimi- 
naries havino-  been  comi)leted.  the  colonists 
assembled  at  a  small  villao'e   on  the  Rhine  near 

Basle.     \Vh)- they  did  not  rendezvous  at  Basle 

a  city  of  considerable  commercial  importance 

seems  a  little  strano-c.  The  impression  after- 
ward  prevailed  amon^o-  the  colonists  that  the 
mana.o-ers  feared  to  take  them  to  a  lar<rc  city 
lest  some  unfavorable  facts  connected  with 
the  country  to  which  the)-  were  i^oln^r  miLiht 
come  to   li.o;ht.  especially  the  important  circum- 


1 1 


stance  that  Lord  Selkirk  had  tailed  to  settle 
the  country  with  his  own  countrymen.  \U'  this 
as  it  nia\-.  two  lariL;(;  tlat-boats  or  hari^^es  were 
provitled  for  their  use  at  the  rende/\()us.  and 
in  these;  they  floated  down  the  Rhine,  with 
its  numerous  cities  and  villa_L^es  and  its  \ine- 
clad  hills  and  ruined  castles  on  either  hand. 
But  with  hearts  elati'd  with  hope,  and  their 
ima_L,nnations  filled  with  visions  of  a  distant 
land,  it  ma\'  be  doubted  if  the  storied  scenes 
of  that  beautiful  ri\er  r(;ceived  from  these 
hard\-  adventurers  more  than  a  passing-  thoujj^ht. 
At  the  end  of  ten  ila\s  they  reached  a  sniall 
vilUii^e  near  Rotterdam,  where;  a  staunch  shi[). 
th(!  "Lord  Nelson,"  was  in  readiness  to  take 
theni   to   the   Xew   World. 

After  settini;-  sail  their  course;  lay  north  of 
(ireat  Britain,  and  just  south  of  (ireenland,  to 
Hudson  Strait.  Soon  after  their  departure 
from  Holland  it  was  found  that  the  quality  of 
the  food  issued  was  orreatl)'  inferior  to  that 
promised  them  before  their  departure  from 
Switzerland,  and  complaint  was  made  to  the 
captain  of  the  ship — a  stern,  but  kinddiearteid 
old  seaman,  who  acknowledoed  the  wrono;-, 
but  claimed  that  he  was  not  responsible  for 
it.  which  was  no  doubt  true.  The  water  also 
was  bad,  and  issued  in  insufficient  quantities. 
Arriving;   at   Hudson   Strait,    latitude  ()2''^   north, 


12 


tliL!    Lord    Xclson    oxcrtook    two     luiirlish    ships 
bound   tor    Vovt   \'ork.    or    \'()rk     I''actor\ ,    situ- 
ated  at  the   mouth   ot   the   Nelson    Kixcr,    laden 
with    Indian    o-oods  and   supplies  lor    the    <|arri- 
sons  at   1^'orts  \'oi-k  and    1  )ou_!Li;-las,    and   for  the 
empl()\-es   of  the    Hudson    Ba)'   Com|)an)-.       The 
strait    was    filled    with    tloes  and   1)erLi;-s   of    ire, 
and     the     ships     were     thereby     detained     o\-er 
three    weeks.      Oni;    of    the    suppl\-    shi|)s    was 
seriousl)-    daniaLifed.     and    nearl)-    lost,    1)\-    col- 
lision    with    an     icebero-.        Finally,    with    much 
difficult)'  and   no   little   peril,    Hudson    Ha\-   was 
entered,    and   after  a   lomj;-   and    tedious    \()\at;-e 
of    nearly    four    months,     the)'    landed    at    h'ort 
^'()rk.       Tlu?  colonists   were   at   once  eml)arked 
in   bateaux,    and  commenced   the;  ascent    of  the 
Nelson     River.        PropelliuLr    their    heav)-laden 
boats  by   rowino-,    often    a^ij^ainst    a    stronu-  cur- 
rent,   at  the  viul   of  tw(mty  days    Lake    Winni- 
jjetr     was     reached,      and     here     new     troubles 
awaited     them.        The     season     was     advanced, 
the   fall   storms   hatl   s(>t   in,    and   their    |)roa-ress 
alonir    tlu;    east    shore    of    the    lake.    260    miles 
in    length,    was    slow    and    laborious.       After  a 
da)''s    hard    rowiuL;,    often    a^-ainst  head-winds, 
the  little  fleet    of    boats    would    put    into  some 
sheltered    spot,     where    the    weary     voyair<'nrs, 
l^erhaps  drenched   with   rain   or  benumbed   with 
cold,    would    kindle    fires,    and    all   be  made  as 


comfortable  as  possible  for  the  iii^lu.  In 
acklitioii  to  these  t!iscoiira_L;'eineiUs  aiul  cliscom- 
iorts,  their  suppl}"  of  proxisions  ^-axc  out, 
ami  the  few  tish  the)'  were  able  to  catch 
W(;re  barel\-  siifticieiU  to  keep  them  trom 
starving-.  At  the  end  of  three  weeks,  much 
time  haxmiL,^  \)vcn  lost  by  reason  ot  hit^-h 
winds  and  storms,  the\'  arrived,  half  famished, 
at  the  mouth  of  the;  Rvd  l\i\-er,  whert',  to 
their  dismay,  the)-  learncxl  that  the  locusts  or 
L^'rasshoppers  had  j>assed  throu^ii  the  countr)' 
the  summer  before,  literall)"  destro)-ini;-  all  the 
crops.  With  hea\)'  hearts  the\'  proceeded  up 
the  river  some  thirt)'-rivc  mik's  to  b\)rt  Doug- 
las, situatctl  on  the  west  l)ank  of  the  ri\-er, 
where  now  stands  the  city  of  \\'innipeL(. 
C  Governor  AK^xander  McDontdl  and  the  other 
otiicers  of  the  Hudson  Hay  Compan)-.  1))' 
their  cordial  welcome  and  earnest  efforts  to 
supply  their  wants  and  make  them  comfort- 
able, not  onl)-  L,daddened  their  hearts,  l)ut  did 
much  to  make  them  f()rij;-et  the  hardshij^s  of 
their  lono^  voyai^e. 

It  is  worth)'  of  note,  in  passinL^,  that 
thret;  )ears  before  tlieir  arrival  the,  Hudson 
Hay  Company  and  tlu!  Northwest  Company 
had  settletl  their  loni^-standing-  difficulties  ami- 
cabl)-,  and  mer^^ed  their  interests  in  a  new 
corporation,    retaining-  the   name  of  the    former 

14 


company.         (ioxcnior      MtDoncIl     could      not 
|)roniisc   the    colonists    siit'licicnt     |)ro\isi()ns     to 
carry  them     throiiL^h     the    appi-oachinir    winter, 
for    it    was  ex'idiint   that  the    suppHes    received 
trom     I'jiL^huul     woukl     lie    inach'(|uate     for    the 
wants  ot   all.      After  a   full   deliljeration   ujjon   a 
{|uestion   scarcel)    less  momentous  than    that  of 
lite    or    death,    it     was    resolved    to    send   some 
sevent)   ri\(,'    ot    the    Noun^-er    and   more  hardy 
of  the   colonists  to    i'emhina,  u|j  the  ri\-er,  near 
the    I'nited    States    l)oundar\,    si.\t\-    miles    dis- 
tant,   where    it     was    believed    the    butialo,     dk 
and     deer     were     more    abuiulant,     ami     where,' 
jerked    ])uftalo    meat    and     jtemmican    could    be 
obtained    from    the     Iiulians    of    that     localit\-. 
Just  as   tlie   winter  closed    in,   the   party  arrived 
at   Pembina,    and    at    once    set    about    re|)airino- 
the  Iniildinos  of  the  deserted  trading-  jjost,  con- 
structing- huts  and  procurin^r  fuel  for  the  winter. 
The  succeedin!^-  winter  was  lon^r  and  intensel\- 
ci)\d,    the  thermometer  often  fallino-  to  fort)--li\-e 
deo-rees    below    zero,     and    the    snow    unusually 
di'ei).     The  colonists  wintering-  at  Pembina  fared 
badly    enough.       With    the    advance  of  winter, 
the;  scanty  supply    of    prox-isions   l^rouL^'-ht  froiii 
Fort   Douglas    diminished    rapidl)-,     and,     when 
exhausted.     th(>    lish,     obtained     with     difticultv 
trom  the-   rivi;r  throuij-h    holes    cut    in    the    ice, 
with   what  buffalo  meat  could   l)e    bou_L,dU    from 


the  liuliaiis.  was  scarce!)-  siitlicicnt  to  |)rcv('iit 
starvation.  Soincliincs  an  Indian  doo-  was 
i<ill('ci  ami  eaten,  and  relisheil  1)\-  most  of 
them.  Ilie  ])arties  who  occasional!)'  x'entured 
out  with  doLis  and  sled^-e'S,  o!)taiiied  Irom  tlie 
Indians  to  lumt  lor  tlie  l)uffa!o,  met  witli 
indilf*  .'eiit  succens.  owin^;-  to  tlie  scarcit)-  of 
the  animals  tliat  winter,  and  laci<  of  ex])eri- 
encf.  Se\-era!  ot  them  were  maimed  for  life 
1>\  the  free/in^-  of  their  hands  ant!  feet.  In 
the  spring-,  after  the-  snow  had  disappeared, 
the  women  would  Leather  acorns  antl  the  seed- 
balls  ot  the  wild-rose  Inish  that  ^rt'w  ranl< 
on  the  margin  of  tlie  river,  which,  when 
cooked  with  a  little  buffalo  fat,  made;  nutri- 
tious if  not  i)alatable  food,  and  served  to  r(die\-e 
the  hardship  and  monotoii)-  of  tin;  almost 
exclusively  lish  diet  of  the  precediuL^-  winter. 
Five  \-(;ars  prior  to  the  advent  of  thi!  Swiss 
colon)-  the  emplo\-cs  i^^  the  Xorthwest  Corn- 
pan)',  in  their  bitter  opposition  to  Lord  Sel- 
kirk's scheme  to  colonize  that  c()untr\-  with 
Europeans,  open!)-  resisted  the  settlers,  and 
went  so  far  as  to  make  an  armetl  attack  on  a 
settlement  of  Scotchmen  near  ]^^)rt  I  )()e._i^das, 
killino-  some?  twimt)-  of  them,  includino-  (iov- 
ernor  Robert  Semple,  who  had  received  his 
appointment  as  Governor  of  Hudson  I^a)-  Com- 
pany   five    years    previous.      Lord    Selkirk,     on 

i5 


learning  ot  ihc  iiiassacrc,  Idt  lui^land  at  oiici- 
tor  (.'aiiada.  riicrc  lie  ohlaiiicil  Iroin  llu* 
aiitlii»riti(.'s  a  hiiiulrcd  or  more  soKlicrs  Iroin 
tlic  "  I)c  Mciiroii  KcLiiincut"  ■"■  and  a  lew  sol- 
iiiiti'crs.  IMaciiiL;  hiinsdl  at  their  he. id.  he 
proceeded  to  the  I\cd  ki\cr  St-ttleiiient,  where, 
alter  sei/iiiL;'  sexcral  of  their  trachn^-posis,  he 
restored  peace  and  traii(|iiiht\-.f-  Two  \cars 
after,  thi'  troo])s  hroiii^ht  from  Canachi  were 
dischari^etl.  and  the  j^reater  j^art  of  th(  in  were 
iiuhiced  hy  Loi'd  Selkirk  to  settle  in  that 
country.  Land  was  donated  them  near  I'"ort 
I)()U^L,das,  anil  cattle  and  other  supplies  fur- 
nishetl  them  on  a  lon^-  credit.  I'ortune  faxored 
these  settlers,  and  at  the  time  of  the  arrival 
of  tin;  Swiss  coloiu"  the\  were  sj-eneralK'  well- 
to-tlo  fanners;  and  had  it  not  Ix-en  for  the 
rava^'es  of  the  L,''rassh()|)|)ers  the  sunnner  hefore, 
the  crops  of  thes(;  farmers  would  haxc  fur- 
nished ample   food    for  the    new-comers    tlurini;' 


*('iiunl  l)e  Meiirnn.  a  I'icmilH  Swiss  of  Xfuchatel,  raisoil  :i 
iet;iiiiL'iil  (if  iiifanlvy,  nioslly  in  Swit/erlaiui,  which  was  eiiiplnvcd  i)v 
the  liritish  Ljoveiiiiiient  i'ni  (ipeialiniis  in  inuur  ("aiiada.  with  the 
atjreL'niL'iit  ihal  ihc  nicn,  at  the  I'lid  of  thfir  Icnn  of  iT.hstinnit,  shcmid 
1)6  L;i\en   lands   in   any   imrlinn   of  (_"aiiada,    free  nf  eiiari;e. 

|M:.  Ilenry  Dradsiiaw  I'V-aron  publislied  at  London,  in  iSiS. 
"A  narralive  ni  a  jomne)-  liirou^;!!  tlie  liastein  and  Western  iiarts  of 
America,  loi;iiher  with  remarks  on  l!iri)eek's  Notes  and  Letters." 
(referring;  to  tlie   IMwanls  Co.,  111.,   setllenienl). 

In  a  idstory  of  the  P^nnlish  seltlciiient  in  Ldwards  County,  ill.,  |)ul)- 
lished  in  (!hica;.4o,  in  iSSj.  the  lion.  I-].  11.  Washhurne,  ex-Secretary  of 
State,  ex  Eud)assador  and  .Miidster  l'leni])otentiary  to  Lrance,  etc.,  savs: 

'■  Curiously  enouf^li,  Mr.  Fearoii  speaks  of  nieetin<T,  at  (iwathway's 
Hotel,    in    Louisville,     Ky.,     Lord    Selkirk,    who    was   on    his    'return 

17 


thi'ir  tirst  vcar's  st;i)'.  I'lu-sr  C'.iii.uliaii  sctllcrs, 
or  "iiu'iiiniis. '"  as  lhc\-  wtTc  rallfd,  wcif  all 
iiiiinai  ricd,  cxrcpt  a  tcu  wliohad  taken  liuliaii 
(»!•  hall'  lircfil  \\i\('S.  AiiKtiiL^  the  («>l<>iiists 
\v«Tc  sc\«'ral  laniilics  in  which  wryr  inarria^i-- 
a!)l<'  (l.ni^hlcrs.  and  it  was  natural  that  oilers 
ol  niarriaL;('  should  he  ni.ide  liy  the  hachelor 
taianers.  HurinL^  tin-  winter  si'xci'al  sui  h  mar- 
riat^'es      were      ^-onsnniniated.  I  he     colonists, 

althoiiL;h  disappointed  and  almost  star\intjf, 
were  ne\crtheless  cheerlnl,  and  dis|)()sed  to 
make  tin-  most  ot  the  unlortuiiate  circamistances 
in  which  the}-  tonnd  themselves,  it  was  deemed 
necessai"}-  to  celebrate  the  nuptials  in  a  hecom- 
inL;'  manner,  and  to  do  honor  lo  the  (xcasion 
a  part)'  would  he  i;i\-en,  to  which  the  relatixcs 
and  friends  were  hidden.  W'eiidin^-  cake  was 
made  ot  coarse  llour  ohtained  Irom  wheat 
•  ■round  in  the  ordinar\-  rotar\-  colfee-mill,  to 
which    was  addeil   a   little   l)urtalo     lat    and   salt. 


fnmi  his  sucfi'ssful  L'.\|)C>lili<)ii  in  llie  Noilhwesl  'reiriliiry.'  lie  s.iys 
In-  iilitaiiu'il  tor  his  iunlship  some  i'ostnii  papfrs  wliiili  we ru  only  two 
iii.iiiliis  old,  wliiih  ;ittonleil  liim  ;;ieat  -.alistactioii,  as  iu-  had  not  heard 
aiiv   iiiU'lIiLjciuT  tVoiii    I'.uiope   for  nim;    months. 

•■'['hi-  is  an  inu-rcsiint;  fact,  for  it  sliows  tiial  Lord  Selkirk,  on 
leavini^  ihc  M'uK'nieiit  lie  iiad  founded  on  ihe  Reil  Kiver  of  the  Nortii. 
dill  not  lelurn  liomr  by  >ea  fn.ni  \'ork  l''ai.-loiy  or  l>y  Montieal,  Imi 
made  his  way  hv  land  lo  i'"ort  .St.  Anthon\  afterwaid  h'or'  Snellini; 
— and  thence  down  the  Mississippi  Kiver  to  St.  I.ouis.  Lord  Selkirk 
forna-d  his  first  cohmv  ia  iSii.  wliich  was  re  mforced  by  an  inimiijra 
tion  in  1S15.  I'his  colony  was  undei  the  ])rotection  of  the  Iludson 
l!av   and    the   Northwest   ('oni|ianies. 

•■  riic  latter  company  undertook  to  e\()el  Selkirk's  colonists.    When 
Lord   Selkirk,   who  was  then   in    l-.n^land,    heard  of  this,    lie    procured 

18 


I  lnT<'  was  .ilso  ilif  iniisii  m|  tlic  \in|iii,  .uid 
I'k'  '•■<t  ot  thr  (laiK.«  IS  kc|)i  time  to  the  airs 
<»t    Su  ii/(  rlaiid. 

I  Ik'  Iwaltli  n|  .ill  th"  colfMiisis  tliat  w  inter 
was  M(»()(|,  (|<s|)iic  the  sc\cnt\  m|  thr  winter 
and  the  institti(  icncy  (>|  hiod.  The  npcnint^-  "I 
spriiiL^  hxind  then)  read\  id  enter  (»n  the 
lands  aHotted  them  .il  "  I  .a  I'nnrclie,"  ;;t  the 
JMnction  of  the  l\ed  and  Assinilx.ine  rixcrs. 
and  soon  alter  the  lirst  ot  \hi\  the  entire 
colon)-  was  a^ain  united.  Lord  Selkirk  ha«i 
died  at  Tan,  h'rance.  the  anlnmn  Ixjoie  their 
de|)artnre  troin  S\\  it/ei-|.ind,  hut  the  tact  had 
l)eeii  withheld  troni  iheni  initil  alter  their 
arrixal  at  I'Ort  1  )ouL;las.  C"oiise(|nentl\  no 
|;i'o\-ision  had  heen  made  to  suppjv  them  with 
seeds  and  larminL^  implements,  a>  promised 
them  hetore  their  departure  trom  the  (  )ld 
World.         They    U('l-e    tlieretore     (ompeljed.     with 

lew   exceptions,    to    use    the    ordinarN     hoe    and 

l>ci  iiii?.ii"ii    fiDiii    ilu'    lirilisli    i;i)\t.'i  iiiiiciil    lo    l:ikc    a    niilit,ir\    t^nr    fi.)iii 
Canada   \><    Ked    Kivc  r  in   prnteit     liis    M'tllris.        Willi    a    C"ni|).iny    of 
rcL^ulai    si)l(lifi>  nf   tin-    llrilisli    armv   and    a   cfri.iin    niiiiiln-i     of     vf)|iiii 
iL'iTS.    Ill-   rcturiii-(l    \\:ili   ihriii    ti.   Red    Kivfi-  and    drovr    i.ni    the    ropre 
scntativo   nf   till,'    N'nithwol    (■oni|iaii\  Afi.T    this   had     I'ceii     ateom- 

|)lishL'd.  tiiidiiiL;  lii>  Colony  wcakiurd  lis  thi'  troubles  ii  hail  ;^oiil' 
ihroiinh.  he  ili-toiiiiiiu'd  to  rLMiiin  to  I'',iii.i|n'  i.i  jirat  up  iciruil^  foi 
another  rolony.  I'hf  oriijiiial  coloni-ls  had  lirt-ii  Mio^th  Scotuli. 
hut  now  lie  tiinied  his  attention  to  procuriiiLj  protesianl  S\\i>s.  moiilv 
fnuii  the  jura,  'riiis  last  colony,  having'  jieen  oii^ani/ed.  s.iiled  for 
N'ork  l-'aitory  in  1S21  .  Hut  in  tin-  ineaniime,  ami  without  the  kiiowl 
ed!j;e  of  the  colonists,  liefore  they  had  taken  their  dei)arturc.  I.ord 
Selkirk  iiad  die<i  at  i'aii.  in  i'laiice.  This  was  a  fat.il  Idou  to  the 
success  of  the  eolnny. 

19 


s|M(lc  in  I  iiiinii;^'  (>\('!-  ihc  sml  .iiul  in  prcji.ir 
iii'^  the  soil  I'M'  |iLiiitiiii;  .iiul  snwiiiL^  iln-  simuIs 
.ilii.iiiu'J  in  liniitril  >|iMntilii's  li()in  the  ( '.m.i 
(ji.m  t.inniis.  I  li>\\  ex  cr,  as  the  icsult  cl  a 
hard  siiiann'i'  s  wiuls,  ihc  women  assisting;  llic 
men,  and  die  soil  Iumiil;  i  cniarkahh  |  iri)dnrti\  c, 
the  rit>|is  laiscil,  with  what  lhi'\-  ohtamcd  honi 
die  oldiM'  sciilcrs.  rarricd  dicni  diri>UL;h  the 
siircci'ihn^    winter   eiMntm  tal)l\ . 

|-"arl\  in  die  lall  ot  iS.m,  a  hci'd  n|  i-aitlc. 
nioslh  rows,  arri\t'd  troni  the  State  o|  Mis- 
sonri,  in  ehariu;e  ol  a  ]>art\  ol  armed  diovci's, 
anil  wci'e  dist  liluiled  in  the  spiin^;  ol  iSjj 
amoiiL;  the  Swiss  settlers.  I'his  disl  rihntion  ot 
eattle,  whieh  had  been  eontiaeteil  lor  i>\  l.oiil 
Sflkiik  helore  his  death,  was  all  that  had  heen 
done  tor  the  iu>lonists  in  liilhllment  ol  the 
pledL^es  made  them  lielore  their  departnic  Irom 
1  urojie.  As  a  lonseijuenee,  iliss.it  islaet  ion 
Ix'iame    ''eneral,   ami    a    determination   was  made 


'  •  1  >r|M  ;\  III  111  llu'  t<l^l^•l  inv;  i  .no  nl  I  lie  t.iniuK'i ,  .uul  w  il  li  uiiIki  'kcil 
tiM  .mil  liTiilili'  li.ii  lUliip-.,  ,m.l  ii\  the  |iirsriui'  nt  1 1  iijul  ul  nuIIim  iiiv;s, 
llu-   ruliuusls   \MH-   iili|iL;i'il    In    Inl.ilU     .ili,ii\ili  111    lliiii    I'lUri  |ii  isr  . 

••  l"lirii'  w  .is  111)  slii|i  111  I.ikc  llu-m  li.uU  li\  llio  \\.i\'  nt  llu-  sc.i 
tinm  \iiik  r'.u'lniv;  llir  niiK  pii^siMi-  rsvM|H'  \\  ,is  In  llir  lUMirsl  ^olllc 
liu'lll  in  llu-  I  iul(-il  Si. ill's.  I'hi'll  .itli'lll  lull  w  .Is  iiiii|iiiiliU-ill\  illl('i-|ril 
i-i  lilis  nil', ins  nt  ili-li\i-i  ,nu-<-  li\  tlu'  t.u  I  lli.U  l.nnl  SrlkiiU  li.ul  l.iktMl 
'li.il  iiuili-,  w  lirn  In-  Irtl  llu-  i.-i'unli\  in  l^lS.  M.iiix  nt  llu-sr  inlmiisls 
,.tu-i\\,nil  srIlU-il  in  llu-  ei.ilrn.i  U-.ul  uiiiu-s  ,iiul  Ihiluhc  i-\irlli'iil 
I  Hi, ■ens,  disl  iiii^iiislicil  |i\  |)inliit\  .iiul  linnm,  iiulu-^liv  .mil  lliiitl.  A 
snii  nf  niu-  nt  llir  ]  H  i  i|in  lli'll  I  iii|nni->ls  (llu-  ,iiitlu)r  nC  lliw  skl'U'll  |  ll.lS 
\\rilli-n     .1    \t-l\'    iiilrlisl  in;^  ,li  I'liiinl  lit    llu- i  nlnlis    nt    iS.M." 

I'liis  il.iti-   slinulil    Ik-    iSii)   .uul    imi    iSiS.  .is   ^ivcii    li\     Mi.   \\  .isii 

lui  I  IU-. 

20 


Ii\'     .1     Sin.lll      |Mll      i>l      Ulc     ^■^)|(M11^>lS     to     (|f|Mll,     tllC 

iirst  |)i  .u'lii'.iMf  iiKunciit,  lorilic  I  niird  Si.iU-s 
a  rminii-\  ot  wliuli  ih'x  li.ul  Icinicil  iniu'h  siiui' 
then  .ini\.il  .It  llic  l\i(l  l\i\cr.  (  )n  the  rclmn 
ol  tlif  (IroNiTs,  II)  llic  .iiiliinin  nl  iS.'i,  li\i' 
l.iiiiilics  Ih'l;,l;<'>1  l't'n^ls^^il>!l  tn  .irtdiiiiMiu  tlu'iii, 
whh'h  \\.u>  ^i.inlril.  In  \\\r  munlli  ol  \i)\ciii 
1)1'!     the     |>.irt\    .irri\('il     in     s.il(i\     ,il     I'oii     St. 

AntllOin      (sul)SC(Hlf!lt  1\      I'lMt      SlK'llill::^),    sitll.ltcil 

at  the  jiiiu'tiiMi  iW  the  M  ississi]  i|ii  ami  St.  rctci's 
rixcrs,  thci  in  lutu'css  nt  n  nist  i  iirt  ion,  aiul 
"ai'iiscMU'd  1>\  I  nttccl  States  tionps  m  cimii 
manil  ol  C'dloncl  Insiali  SncIlinL;  fl  the  lallh 
Inili'il  States  lnlantr\.  With  the  eonsent  nt 
the  einnniaiuhiiL^  olluei',  the  partN  el  eniii;ian!s 
reiiiaiiied  at  the  loit  (hniiiL;  the  snet-eediiiiL^ 
wintei'.  Ihe  ne\t  spriiiL;  the\  settleil  on  lite 
iiiihtai'N'  reset"\  at  ion  wcav  \Ur  h>rt,  enhixated 
hiiuh   .iiul    soKl    the    pioilnets    to    the    L^aiaison. 

In  the  spring;  »'l  i>'^-\>  thiileen  inoic  ol  the 
rolonists,  witli  their  lamihes,  JeeiJeil  to  i^^o  to 
tlie  I'niteil  Sl.ites,  with  the  intention  ot  set 
tiint'  in  the  State  ol  Missouri,  ol  whieh  sertion 
ol'  the  I'nion  the\  IkhI  hearJ  L^lowiiiL:  Jeseri|) 
tions  iVoin  tiie  I'aity  tW  droMMs  two  years 
liel'oiH'.  rhe\  hiretl  some  hah  Jo, 'en  earts  - 
.ill  that  eonUI  he  tihtaineil  in  the  settKMiient  - 
to  cariN  theif  elleels  to  the  lu\ul  wateis  ol 
the    St.    i'etei's    (now    the     Minnesota)     I\i\ei-   at 

21 


Lake  'l"ra\crs(',  some?  200  miles  al)()\-(^  T-'ort 
St.  Antlioii)-.  l)\-the  course  of  the  ri\er.  These 
car'^s  \vere  constructed  without  iron;  tlie  tirc^s 
])v\n[^  of  rawhide  ch-a\vn  tig-htly  around  the 
wlieel.  The}'  ar(;  still  known  as  tlie  Red  River 
cart,  and,  until  the  opening-  c)f  the  North  Pacific 
railrcxid,  were  fretjuently  seen  at  St.  Paul.  The 
Sioux  Indians,  found  on  their  route  after  enter- 
in*'-  the  Tnited  States,  were  unfriendly,  if  not 
opcnl)-  hostile,  and  the  little  company  were 
often  in  considerable  peril.  By  judicious  man- 
ag"enicnt,  however,  understanding^  as  they  well 
did  the  character  of  tlu;  Indian,  they  escaped 
open  conflict.  The  chiefs,  of  the  roviny  bands 
encountered,  were  o-enerall\'  a|)peased,  and 
their  ai)parent  o-ood-will  ^-ained  b)'  presents  of 
ammunition,  food  and  trinkets.  Pefore  th(; 
end  of  their  journey,  however,  the;  Indians 
succeeded  in  st{;alin_L^"  a  i)art  of  their  cookini^ 
ut<'nsils  and  pro\isions.  The  inadecjuate  num- 
ber of  carts,  hea\il\-  hiden  as  the)'  were  with 
their  effects,  j)rt:vented  an)',  except  the  oltler, 
ihildren  from  ritlin^-,  and  often  a  mother  would 
walk  twent}'  miles  in  a  da\'  with  a  bal)e  in  her 
arms,     1  he  men  were  all  armed,  and  acted  as  an 


escort  to   the   trai 


n. 


Aft 


er  a  Ioul"",  and  at  tmies 


pe|-il()us,  journe)-  of  400  miles,  they  rc^achetl 
Lak(;  Tra\'ers(;  and  went  into  camp;  the  carts 
returning  with  the  men  to  whom  the)-  belongetl. 


Prcpanitions    were    at    once    Im'^uii    to    (IcsccikI 
thc^    St.    Plater's    ri\cr.       Cottonwood    trees    wvvv. 
felk-il,  and    canoes   or    "  du_o;-(nits  "    were    made; 
one    for    every    two   adults   of    tin;   party.      The 
work   was    slow    and    difficult    for    tin:    want    of 
proper    tools.        Hein^"    in     a     countr)-    throu,Lih 
which     roamed     huntin^,^    i)arties    of     unfriendly 
and  thiexinu-  Indians,  it  was  neccessary  to  keep 
a  o-uard   over    the   camp   at    ni_o^ht.       That   duty 
devolved    on    the    women,    for    the    men    needed 
the   sleep   of   nio^ht   in  order  to  l)e  able;  to  work 
1)\'  day  on   the;  canoes.      An   old   latly.*  now   in 
her  seventv-ninth    vear,  and   the   onl\-  surviving- 
memlMM-  of   the    colony,  who   was    twent\-   years 
of    aire   or    more    at    the    time    of    the;    departure 
of     the     colon\-      from      Switzerland,      told     the 
writer  not  lon_o-  since,    with   evident   pride,    that 
she    had    more    than     once    stocnl    oruard    over 
that  little  camp,    armed   with   a  .lyun,    from    nine 
o'clock    at   ni_o;ht    until    sunrise    the    next    morn- 
ino-.       The     canoes    having"    been    fmished,     the 
party  launched    them,    and    heading-  them  down 
the  stream,  floated  with  the  current  th.'  ,L,n-(;ater 
part  of  the  tinie.      The  river,  as  is  usual  at  that 
season  of  the  \-ear,  was  low.  and  some  porti(/ns 
of    it    filled     with    shoals    and    sand-bars,     over 
which  thev  were  often   compelled    to  dra^'  their 
heav\-laden     crafts.       About    the    middle   of    the 


*Mrs.  l.ouis  Cliellain,  wlio  died  Oct.,  18S7,   at   Caleiia. 


month    of   ScptcmlnT  the)'    arrixcd   at   lujrt   St. 
Anthony,    .md     were    kindly    rcccivftl    by    the. 
officers   of  the  i^arrison,   and   warm])-   welcomed 
]jy    their   countr)'men    who    had   preceded   them 
one  year  before.      After  a  few  weeks'  rest  they 
prepared    to    descend   the    Mississippi    riv(;r   to 
St.  Lonis,  their  destination.     Two  small  barges 
or   keel   boats,   which    had    been    used    to    trans- 
port supplies  ivom  St.  Louis  for  the  use  of  the; 
troops,  were  _L,''enerously  placed  at  their  disposal 
by   Colonel    Snelling-  (who    also    supjjlied    theni 
w  ith   j)rovisions  for.  the  voyai^e),    and   in  these 
the)'  leisurely  floated    down    the    river,   meeting- 
with    little  or    rio  difficulty.     The  exposure  and 
hardships  of  the  summer  and  early  fall  brought 
on  chills  and  fevers  and  other  malarial  diseases. 
Mr.   Ab)nni(M-,  the   senior   of   the    part)'   in    age, 
fell  sick  and  died,  and  was  buried  near  Prairie 
du   Cluen;  and    soon    after   his   eldest   daughter 
followed    him.      Before    reaching   Rock   Island, 
rslr.  Chetlain  became   delirious   with    fever,   and 
it  was  decided  to  leave  him,  with  his  wife  aiul 
child,  at   Fort  Amstrong,  where  he   was    placed 
in   the   })Ost   hosi)ital   and    cared    for  with    kind- 
ness and  skill   by  Dr.  Craig,  tlu;  post  surgeon. 
The  rest  jjroceeded   on   their  way.  reaching   St. 
Louis   late   in    the    month    of    Xo\(~mber.       Mr. 
Chetlain    and     family    joined     them     the     next 
spring. 


On  the  arrival  of  the  cmi^'rants  at  St,  Louis, 
thi-n    a    city    ol     O.ooo    inhabitants.    thc\'    were 
\v(;lc()n-i('(l  ;in(,l  liospitahl)-  treated   h};  th(;  Chou- 
teaus,    Soularcls     and     (iratiots    (the     latter     of 
I*'ranco-S\viss   oriLj^in),  and   other    iM'ench-speak- 
in^-    citizens,    who    had     l)c;come     familiar     with 
their  peculiar  histor)-.     The  greater  part  of  the 
emiL^rants  leased  lands  near  tlu;   city  and  ciilli- 
vated  them.      'Idie\-  proxx^d   industrious,  tempt.'r- 
■dtv.    and    thrift)-    citi/cjns.      The  climate;   of    that 
reo-ion,  however,  was  evidently  unlaxorable   lor 
them,  and  a  lari^er  part  fi;!!  sick.      The  process 
of    acclimation   was   slow   and   difhcult,    and    I)\- 
the  end   of    the   second   sun;nHa-    most    of    them 
decided  to  remoxe  to  a  cooler  and  mor(;  health- 
ful climate.      The  openin-^^  of  the  lead  mines  ol 
the  Northwest  o-ave  the  wished-for  op[)ortunity. 
Mr.  Chetlain  and  a  few  others,  with  their  fami- 
lies, joined    Colonel    Henry    (iratiot,   the    nc-wl\' 
appointed   United   States  a_L,n;nt  for  the  Winne- 
])a.L,^o   Indians,  and   took   passaj^n'  on   tlu;  steam- 
l)oat   Mexico  —  one   of   the    first   boats   that   as- 
cended the  Mississippi  al)o\e  the  mouth  of  the 
Illinois   River  —  for  La  Pointe,  on  b^'ver  River, 
where;  now  stands  the  city  of  (ialena;  arriviuL^ 
there    the     14th    day    (^f    April,     iS^b.        Some 
months    later,    Messrs.     Schirmer.     Lan^-et    and 
others   followed.      In    the   autumn   of   that   year 
the  crreater  part  of  them  removed  to  the  Indian 


ai^-'cncN-  at  (  iratiot's  (irnvc,  rit'tccn  miles  north- 
cast  from  La  Poiiitc.  and  cn^aiJi'c^cl  in  mining- 
and   sm(dtino^  Icail   on;,  and   in   larniino-. 

The  sprini;'  ol  iSjh  was  noted  for  tlic  L^Tcat 
ris(!  of  water  in  tlu;  Mississippi  and  its  tribu- 
taries, and  in  the  Red  and  Assinil)oine  rivers, 
caused  1)\  the  unusual  cU;ep  snow  of  the  pre- 
ceding- winter,  which  had  nielted  with  warm 
and  hea\-\'  rains.  The  Red  and  Assiniboine 
rivers  rose  so  hitji-h  that  the  lands  at  La  Fourclie 
were  completel)'  inundated,  and  the  settlers 
compelled  to  seek  safety  by  Hi^-ht  to  hi^-her 
o-round,  sex'eral  miles  distant,  taking;,  with  them 
their  catth;  and  household  effects.  The  losses, 
sustaiiuxl  b\'  the  Hood,  were  ver\-  irrcat,  and 
no  efforts  were  made  to  repair  them.  Ncuirly 
all  the  Swiss  settlers  remaininu-  at  i^a  Fourche, 
includini^r  a  part  of  the  Canadian  settlers,  hav- 
iiiL"-  become  thorou<>hl\-  discourao^ed,  decided  to 
leave  at  once  for  the  United  States.  Abandon- 
ino-  their  lands,  and  selliiiL,''  their  cattle  and 
farmini;'  implemcMits  for  what  they  could,  the\- 
hired  carts  to  transport  their  eff(;cts  and  pro- 
visions, and  started  in  a  body  for  L'^ort  St. 
Anthony,  f(dlo\vinL^-  the;  route  taken  by  the 
lirst  i)arty  (thret;  )'(>ars  before)  to  Lake  Tra- 
\-erse,  and  from  thence  by  land  to  their  desti- 
nation, arrivino-  there  early  in  the  autumn  of 
that  year.      (Governor  McDonell  and  the  other 


oriu-crs    ot    \\v    Hudson    Ba\-    Company   deeply 
rcuTctted   their   departure,  and    ^'eneroush-   sup- 
plied them  with   provisions  for  the  j.)urney   tree 
of   cost,  an    interpreter,  a   ^'uitle.  and    an    armed 
escort    of    forty-live    men.      A    few   weeks    atter 
th('ir    arrival    at    I'ort    St.    Anthony    they    were 
fortunate    enou,L,di    to     liiul    a    small    steamboat 
that    had    been    used    to    transi)ort    sui)plies    for 
the    troops   at    that    point,    in    which    they   took 
passai,n'  for  the  lead  mines,  to  which  place  the\- 
decided   to   -o   after  the\-  had   reached    h'ort  St. 
Anthony.      On   their    arrival   at   La   Pointe   they 
were    warmly    welcomed    by    their    countrymen 
who    had    preceded    them.      Some   of   them    s.  t- 
tled   at    La   Pointe,   while  tlu'   greater   part   went 
out     to     the     a--enc)-    at    C.ratiot's     Cro^-e    and 
eno-a_L;-ed   in    mining-  and   farming-. 

Six  years  later,  when  the  Indian  troubles 
bei^^an  which  culminated  in  a  war  known  as 
the  ••P)lack  Hawk  War,"  and  volunteers  were 
called  for,  nearly  all  the  men.  without  re-ard 
to  a--e,  enlisted,  and.  havin--  been  accustomed 
to  tin-  use  of  tirearms,  rendered  the  countr\- 
of  their  adoption    valuable   service. 

'Vhv  descc-ndants  of  theses  colonists  are 
numerous,  and  are  found  scattered  throuohout 
the    Northwest,    the    ,i,rrcater    part    beino-    in    Uui 


reirion   o 


f    the    lead    mines. 


Most   of   them   arc; 


thrifty  farmers  and  stockbrcn-ders. 


A  f(!W  have 


27 


cutrrcil  the  professions  and  trade.  All,  as  tai' 
as  is  known,  are  tein|)erate.  industrious  and 
law  -.d)idin''-  citi/i-ns. 


' 


28 


■if.iuw  luwi.f  pippi^iPwimrw 


LETTER  FROM  MRS.  GRISARD  i>nr  SIMON). 


: 


GkN.   a.    L.   (  JIl'Tl  ,ai\. 

Dear  Sir  and  I^'ricnd:  I  can  offer  no 
excuse  for  not  acknouletlo-ini^-  \-our  kind  letter 
and  the  ILiryr  of  i-^jS.  except  the  desire  to 
write  you  with  ni\'  own  hand.  The  descrip- 
tion in  the  Harper  was  entirely  correct,  and,  if 
I  were  with  x'ou  and  your  dear  mother,  we 
would,  without  doul.)t,  in  talking-  over  that  ter- 
rible \()\-a^'e,  recollect  man)'  thinL^s.  The  shi|) 
that  was  run  into  Ij)-  the  icelxa-^;"  was  the 
"Lord  Kelson."  We  were  three  ships  fast- 
enetl  to  the  icehero",  and  at  one  time  there 
were  five  —two  cxplorin^i'  vc^ssels  laden  with 
nierchandist;  for  (juehec,  and  the  two  others 
for  h't.  York.  Mnie.  (Juinche  {//<■<•  Monnier, ) 
must  remember  that  when  we  were;  inxited  on 
to  one  of  the  other  ships,  that,  in  returning-, 
she  fell  into  the  water,  L;-reatl)-  to  our  fright. 
On    our   voyag(;    we    were    so    near    the    North 

29 


poll'  that  it  was  contliuiall)'  ila\'  -  thtTc  Ix-iiii^ 
()u\\  honi  lillccii  to  twenty  iniiuitcs  that  uc 
(■(Mild  not  sec  to  read  on  (Kick.  Ca|)tain  Ma\', 
the  Secretary  ol  Lonl  Selkirk,  had  .issured  nie 
that  th''  (liinate  on  the  l)()rders  ol  the  Rv{\ 
l\i\('r  was  pertect,  maturing'  all  kinds  of  o'rain 
and  truits;  so  the  visits  of  the  l''s(iuiniau.\  to 
our  ship  was  another  surprise,  and  showed  us 
what  hiL,''h  latitude  we  weri'  in.  Arri\inu-  at 
It.  NOrk,  there  wtn'e  not  enough  boats  tor 
transporting'  our  hain'iLl^aL^'e.  so  we  wi-re  oblio-cd 
to  leave  e\er)thinL|'  that  was  not  ahsohitel)' 
necessar\-  tor  die  winter,  with  the  prt)niise  that 
in  the  spriuL;-  e\er\'thinn"  would  be  delivered  in 
i^ood  orch-r  at  b't.  l)ou^-lass.  on  Red  Ri\er; 
but  I  do  not  know  it  the  thini^^'s  e\-er  arri\ed, 
toi-  we  k.'tt  the  colony  the  spriiiL,''  ot  1822.  after 
the  second  tlevastation  from  "  Li'rasslioppers. " 
which  covered  the  earth,  coniiiii);"  like  a  oreat 
thunderstorm.  As  \-ou  sa\',  we  distributed  our- 
seKes  amon^-  the  Meurons,  who  belonged  to  a 
retriment  conimanded  b\-  a  Swiss,  of  \euchatel 
—  Count  de  Meuron  —  who,  much  to  our  dis- 
appointment, was  absent  during"  our  sta)-  theie. 
I  do  not  rcMiiember  his  name,  but  his  parents 
were  su^-ar-refmers  in  Xeuchatel  at  that  time. 
Durinj^  our  sta\-  there  our  expenses  were 
threat.  Wheat  was  two  dollars  a  bushel,  and 
was  ground    in    our  own   cotfee-mills   (mine   we 


still    k<'c|)    as    a    relic);    potatoes   weTe   the   same 
price.    l)iit     meat     was    oiil)     twcKc    pomuls    tor 
one    dollar;     c:oHee.    two    dollars     a     pound;     the 
same    with    tohaeco;   siii^ar,   one  dollar  a   poimd, 
and     salt,    one    dollar    a    (juart.      (  )nr    siilterinLi- 
was    L^rcat    toward    spian^-,    when     ^hei'e    was    a 
lack    ol    all    pro\isions.  at    which    time    \\c    lixcd 
on    lish,   without   e\-en    sail.       Stui'Ljcon   ,ind   c.it- 
lish    are    \ery    lari^c    in    that    ri\cr.       I'Vom    that 
time    my    lather    decided    to    lea\c    the    colon\'. 
lie    chartered    two    boats,    with    two    hunters    to 
row     and     |)ro\itle    ns    with    ^ame.       .\rri\ed    at 
l\-ml)ina,    which     at    that    time    was    considered 
to    be    in    the    bnL^lish    territorw    wc    lound    the 
Sioux     Indians    on    the     war-path,    which     made 
trax'elinL;'    by   water  too   dangerous,   so    we    hired 
two    carts,    with     guides,    who    droxc    cattle     lor 
Lord     Selkirk,    and     with     the    two     hunters    toi- 
protection      we      went      Irom      Pembina     to     the 
l\i\('r     St.     Peter     (now      Minnesota).        Mamma 
and     mysell    were    the     lirst    white     women    who 
had  e\('r  crosseil  those  prairies,  and  the  daiiL^cr 
was    terrible.       When    leaxiuL;"    Pembina,    all    the 
halt-breeds   and   Canadians   said    it   would   not   be 
three   da\'s   belore    the    Indians    would    be   danc- 
ing'   with    the   scalps   ol    those   white   women,   but 
(lod    protected    ns.  thouL^h    nian\-   times    I    came; 
near  bein^'  captured,  but  our  ^aiides  wcrt;  taith- 
tul  and  on  the  alert;  but,  wha,t  is  straiiLTe,  those 


i 


\-('rv  same  Indians  rr(()('-ni/c(I  inc  at  I'mt  Sncll- 
inL,^  ami  tnid  the  iiit('r|»r('tcrs  how  thc\  had 
hiid  tlicir  plans  to  ia|)tnrc  nic  At  l-a.kc 
rra\crs(r  wv.  witc  ohHi^ctl  to  slop  (piitc  a 
time,  as  it  was  jnst  tlic  time  that  tlic  Indians 
were  thcr*-  to  receive  their  annuities  Ironi  the 
l;-o\ crnnient.  At  that  time  we  heard  that  )-on 
had  crossed  without  heinj:,^  massacred,  and  a 
number  of  families  joined  us  thei'e  (amou!^' 
which  were  th(;  (hiinches),  where  we  were  cait- 
linj^'  the  treis  to  make  our  canoes,  and  as  wc; 
had  dismissed  the  hunters  we  onl\'  had  the 
i^niides  and  m\-  father,  who  was  not  accustomed 
to  work,  so  the  other  families  made  their  canoes 
lone  hefore  us,  and  hetore  we  left  the  j)hu'e  we 
almost  died  ot  luinecT.  I'or  two  whole  da\s 
we  had  not  one  moulhtul  to  eat;  on  the  third 
we  met  some  Indians  who  were  pickine-  wild 
rice.  The)-  took  us  to  their  tents  and  U'i.\  us 
l)ountifull)"  with  soup  and  little  piiices  of  meat 
that  were  cookine'  on  tlu?  hre  when  we  came. 
We   sta\('d  with   them   two   da\s. 

\n[\y  list  of  names  was  correct,  but  I  thiid< 
I  remember  a  tamil\'  ot  Junot,  and  one  named 
Jacard. 

ArriNini;  at  b'ort  Snellinj^",  1  was  received 
like  a  sister  by  Mme.  Colonel  SnellinL,^,  in  whose; 
family  I  sta\-ed  while  there.  Each  d:\y  m)- 
father  came  and  irave   French    lessons    to    Miss 


i 


32 


I 


; 


and    Mrs.   SncIIin!^-,  ;iii(l    so   our  s\:\y    was   lucra- 
tive as   well   as  aj^rcciMc 

In  the  spriiiL^  ot  iSj;,  a  stcainhoal  arrived 
t^M-rc,  named  the  "  Xir^^inia. "  'I'his  was  the 
first  steamboat  that  had  as(M'nded  the  Missis- 
sippi al)()\<:  the  mouth  ot  the  llhnois  l\i\er. 
It  had  l)een  three  weeks  coming'  trom  St.  Louis, 
as  it  did  not  run  nii^hts.  The  winter  ot  1S22-23 
was  a  remarkal)le  one.  |)urin_L,''  a  number  ol 
\\i;('ks  th(^  |nr<irrison  ot  Iurt  St.  I'eter  was  on 
tli('  alert,  fearing,''  a  surprise  trom  the  Indians, 
wlio  were  then  massed  together  so  ne.ir  the 
fort  that  tlie  sound  ot'  their  war-cr)'  was  heard. 
Their  |)lan  was  to  massacre  the  wliole  garrison. 
l^'rom  that  timi'  no  huHan  was  allowed  to  eonu- 
into   the   tort. 

M\'  father  was  a  teacher,  and  did  not  liax'e 
cnouijfh  occu|)ation.  so  we  lett  for  St.  Louis, 
arrixin^-  in  */()n{\  health.  We  were  introtluced 
into  the  families  of  Soulartls  and  Cliouteaus. 
Mrs.  James  ('..  Soulard  and  Colonel  Snc^llin^ 
were  brother  and  sister.  Ouv  stay  tlu-re  was 
pleasant,  ami  m\-  father  had  plent)-  of  lucrative 
work  (there  beiiiL;-  onlv  one  youn^;-  lad\'  who 
Lnive  b'rench  lessons,  a  Miss  b"a\re):  but  it  was 
unhealth}-  at  St.  Louis,  and  m\-  father  wished 
to    conie    here,   whert;    the    settlers    were    almost 


entirel\-    X'audois    Suisse 


II 


e    cliecl 


li\(;    wecl<s 


after   our  arriva 


.•).> 


I   coiitimii'il,   lor  soiiu'  tiim- 


lo    Is 


cci)  a   littU^ 


sc 


tl 


hool.   hut.  at  last  luul   to   turn    \ny  attention    to 
lor   the    laniiK.       I    was   atTustonicd 


U'    srwiiv'' 


lo    tanc\    sfwui 


!'■.      I) 


ut    at    that   time    the    ncccssa 
rics  ol   hir  were  all  one  could   possihl)    pcrlorni 


In    iSj^     1 


marruH 


1     l-rccl    (i.    ( 


ii'isarcl,    ironi 


X'illcrcl,    C\niton    ol    IkM-nc.      W'-    Vwvd    happily 


until     anuar\-    '^(^ 


ach   tla\    ''TOWS 


th,    iSSi.   when    he   died. 


satldiT.  thouL^h    1    have   niy 
•Idcst    dau-'htiT   with    nu'.  ami    ni\-   chiklrcn   arc 


;nul,  ane 


1    1    1 


ia\('  al)uiulantl\-  ol   this  world  s 


th 


rid' 


L'(H  H 


Is.       I    thank    ( iod,   hopino-    that    sonic    day 


not    distant    I    shal 


lotn    n\v   hushaiul.   tor 


am 


l)ast    sc\ cntN-scxcn    \-cars. 


Accept  m\-  assurance  of  esteem,  and.   il    n'ou 
to   \'e\a\.    1    shall    he    dcliohteti    to 


e\'er    come 


ha\'e  a    \isit    trom    \-ou. 


e\a\-.    Iiunana, 


\'er\    trul\- 


/i;i.it,    C\    (■.RlSARIi, 

;;(•(■   /('lie   C   Simon. 


1) 


ecemhei 


1st,    1SS4. 


BlOdHAPHlCAl     SKHICHHS. 


D.wiii    M(i\mi:k.       UtM'n    in    llic    Canton    ot 
NcuchaU'l.      He  was  a   man   of  ('(hication.  prol) 
ily  of  character,    .iiul   of   kind  disposition.        lie 
had    a    laroi'    faniil\     -six    dauLihtcrs     and     two 
sons.       llis    ihiUL^iUcrs    married    (Uiinehe,    Shir- 
mer,  the.  Jaeeards    ami    l'".ste\-.  all    of    whom   are 
death       His    son.    a     hirmer    and    stot  khreeder, 
died     not    lon*^-    since     near    ( ialena.    lea\ino'    a 
laro-e     famih'.       Mr.    Monnier     ami     his     eldest 
dauL^hter    died     in     iSj;,    while     tlescendiiiL^-     the 
Mississippi     Rivi-r    from     hort    St.    Andion\-    to 
St.  Louis.       His  orantlchildren  .iri'  cpiite  numer 
ons.  and   are  living-  in   ( ialena  and   \icinity.  and 
in   St.    Louis.      One  oranddau^htei"    -the  daULdi 
ter    of    the    late    Auoustus     h'ste\-,   a    h.mker    in 
(ialena,  and    wife  of  Ca\A.  W.   .\.   Montgomery, 
a   prominent  lawyer— is   living-   in   Chicai^o. 

Li:ri;R      Ikindksisaciiiik.    -A     native    of     the 
Canton    of    Berne,  senior   of   the   colonists,  and 


.I.I 


sonKitimc's     called      hatlu-r      Riiulcsbachcr;      by 
force    of  character    he    was    rc^coo'iii/eil    as    their 
leatler.      lie    died    over    a    score    of    )i'ars    ai^'o 
on    his    farm    in    jo    1  )a\iess    Coiintw    Illinois. 
1  le    hatl    a    numerous    famil\-,   all    of    whom    are 
now  dead,  except    Mrs.   Charles   Monnier.       His 
eldest      (lauL,diter      marri(,'d      Doctor      ( )sterta^-. 
Some    \-ears   after    the    doctor's   death   slie   mar- 
ried  Mr.  Collins.      The  children   and   iL^randchil- 
dren     are     living-     in     southwestern    Wisconsin. 
His    second    son,    Peter.    IxM'n    in    Switzerland, 
was  a   \oun^-  man  of  o-reat  ^jromise.      Ik'  early 
ilevelojjed     a    taste     for     music     and     paintii  /. 
When   in    St.   Louis,  hv.   was   placed   in  a  studio 
of   a    jjortrait   painter   of    some;    note.      He    had 
some    cr(;ditable    sketches    of     Indians    and    of 
wild  animals — done    in    a   somewhat  crude   way 
at    the;     Rv(\     Ri\er    settlement — that    attracted 
the     attention     of     some     I'nited     Stat(;s     army 
officers  at   St.   Louis,   who  later   took   hini    with 
them   on    militar\'   excursions    up    the    Missouri 
Ri\er.       He     excelled     in     jjortrait-paintin^-    on 
i\()r\'.      He    died    in     St.    Louis    at    tin;    ag'e    of 
twent>--eioht.      It    has    becm    stated    by    compe- 
tent  jud_L,n;s  of   his   work   that,  had   he  lived,  he 


would 


lia\  (■ 


ranked    as    an    artist    with    Stanh' 


and 


Catli 


n. 


ri 


le 


third 


son, 


iM-ed 


end 


an 


extensive    farmer    of   Jo    Daviess    Count)',    died 
some  years  aj^o,  leaving-  a   lari^e  family,  amoui^ 

36 


9 


wlioin  two  arc  sons      prominent  citi/cns  in  that 
section    of  the:   countr)-. 

Ai.iKi:i>      ()mn(II1..      Nhirricil      tlic     sccoiul 
thui_^ht('r    of    Mr.    Monnicr.    and    liad    numerous 
children.      'I'wo   of  his    sons    are    now    living-    in 
Kansas.      Alfretl,    the     second     son,    who     died 
sonic   )-ears   since,   was   e\tensi\<'l\    tMi^aLj^ed   tor 
inan\-    \-cars    in    n-iinin!;j;-    and    snicltinL;'    lead    ore- 
near   Shullshuro-.  Wisconsin.      The    fourth    son, 
Alexander,  receiv:'d   a   C(dle,L,nate    education   and 
took  a  theoloo-ical  course  preparator)'  to  enter- 
ing-    the     niinistr)-.       Soon     after     entering-     tht; 
ministry,    he    accepted    the    chair    of    Literature 
in   the   Oxford    Tniversity  of  the  State   of    Mis- 
sissippi,      lie    ranked    hi,u;h    in    his    i)rofession, 
and    died    some;    years    a^'o    after    twenty-eii^du 
years'    continuous    service    in    that    institution. 
He     left     a    widow    and     two     dau<rhters,     now 
livini^-. 

1^1111,11'  \'.  SiiiRMKR. — A  man  of  rare  intel- 
lio-ence.  great  energy,  good  business  (lualilica- 
tions  and  strong  religious  convictions,  was 
born  at  C'.eneva.  He  married  Miss  ^b)nnier. 
There  were  born  to  them  five  children.  1  he 
eldest  son,  David,  died  some  years  ago;  IMiilip 
is  a  merchant  in  St.  Louis;  Mrs.  l')ark('r, 
widow  of  the  late  Dr.  W.  S.  Barker,  a  prom- 
inent physician  of  St.  Louis;  Mrs.  Cathn 
(widow)   and    Miss    Henrieaa,    are   living  in    St. 

37 


I.oiiis.    and     Mrs.     Miller    (widow),    in    Dcnxor. 
Colorado, 

l.oL'is  CiiKTi.AiN  (oriu-inallx-  Chatclain).— ( )t 
Tramelan,  Canton  of  Rcnu',  Switzerland,  mar- 
ried Julie  I  lonihert  Dro/,  of  Li_^rneres,  Canton 
ol  Xeuchatel.  in  iS2(X  'I'here  were  born  to  them 
elexcn  children,  ti\e  of  whoni  are  now  li\in_o-: 
Frederick,  the  eldest  son.  one  of  the  best  known 
and  most  hi.L^hl\--esteemed  men  in  the  lead 
mine  region,  and  the  manao-er  of  the  Chetlain 
farm,  near  C.alena,  after  the  death  of  his  father, 
in  iS;3,  died  over  a  year  a^-o.  Of  Auirustus, 
the  second  son.  Ap])leton"s  Ijicyclopadia  of 
American    Hioo-raph\'  sa\'s: 

"AicrsTis  Ldi  IS  CiiKTi.AiN.  —  j^orn  in  St. 
Lonis,  Missouri.  December  2()th,  1824.  IJis 
parents,  of  h'rench  lluoaienot  stock,  emio-rated 
trom  Xeufchatel.  Swit/erlantl,  in  1S21.  and 
were  members  of  the  \<vd  River  colony.  Jjc 
received  a  common  school  education,  became 
a  nKM'chant  in  (ialena,  ami  was  the  hrst  \-ol- 
unteer  at  a  meetinif.  hekl  in  response  to  the 
President's  call,  after  the  bombardment  of  b\)rt 
Sumpter.  in  1S61.  lie  was  chosen  captain  of 
the  compan\  when  Ceneral  (then  cai)tain) 
L.  S.  ( "irant  declined,  and  on  Ma\-  1  st.  1  cSo  1 .  was 
commissioned  lieutenant-colonel  of  tlu,'  Twelfth 
Illinois  infantr)-.  lb,,  xvas  in  command  at 
Smithland,     Kentuck)-,    from    September,     1  Sh  1 , 


till  jamiai-).  1SO2,  and  then  |)artici|)at('(l  in 
(icn.  C,  i'\  Smith's  campaii^'n  on  the  'I'cnncsscc 
i'vi\-(M'  to  I^\)rt  llcnrw  and  led  his  rcnrinicnt  at 
Fort  l)onaldson.  lie  was  cn^^a^-cd  at  Shiloh, 
distin^'iiisliin^-  liimscit  at  Corinth.  IxMno-  left  in 
command  of  that  jjost  until  Ma\',  iHh:;,  and 
while  there  suj)erintended  the  oroani/ation  ol 
the  hrst  colored  reLi'iment  raised  in  the  West. 
( )n  December  13th,  i8():;,  he  was  promoted 
l^ri^adic'r-L^eneral,  |)laced  in  charo't;  of  the  oro^an- 
ization  of  colored  troops  in  I'ennessee,  and 
afterward  in  Kentiickx',  and  1)\-  lanuar)'  ist, 
1 8O4,  had  raised  a  force  of  ij.ooo  men.  tor 
which  serxice  he  was  hrexetted  major-o-cneral. 
hrom  januar\-  to  ( )ct()ber,  1865.  he  commandtxl 
the  jjost  and  forces  of  Memi)his.  and  then  the 
district  of  i'alladeo^a,  Alabama,  until  l'ebruar\- 
5th.  1  8()(),  when  he  was  mustertxl  out  of  serxice. 
I  le  was  assessor  of  internal  rc;\'enue  for  the  dis- 
trict of  I'tah  and  Northern  Wyoming-  in  i807-(), 
then  r,  S.  Consul  at  l-)russels,  and  after  his 
return  to  the  I'nited  States  in  1X72,  established 
himself  in  ChicaiL^'O  as  a  banker  and  stockbroker. 
In  1872  he  oro-anized  the  I  lome  National  IJank 
of  Chicai^o,  ami  became  its  president,  in  Se|)- 
tember.  i88(),  (ieni'ra'  Chetlain  delixcred  the 
annual  address  before  the  Societ\'  of  the  Arm\- 
of  the  Tennessee,  at  Rock  Island.  111.  In  1 8c)  1 
he    oro-ani/(;d    the    Industrial    i^ank   of    Chica^'o, 

.V) 


ami  was  clcctrd  j)rcsicl(;nt  oi  its  board  ot  ilircct- 
ors."  lit;  has  one  son,  Arthur  II.  Chctlain,  a 
la\v\cr,  now  I'irst  Assistant  Corporation  Coun- 
sel ol    ChicaLi'<>. 

llcnrw  the  N'OUULrest  son  of  Louis  Chet- 
ain,  is  now  in  chars^c  of  the;  (Mujtlain  farm. 
Charles  luiwaril,  a  merchant,  tlied  in  1S73. 
Hie  tlauLihters  lixin^-  are  Mrs.  Capt.  Y.  (i. 
Drenin^;'  antl  Mrs.  1).  \.  Corwith,  of  (jalena, 
and  Mrs.    T.  II.  I)a\is,  of  (irund)'  Center,   Iowa. 

h'k.wc'ois  LoNci:  riK  (orii^^inall)'  Lanoret). — 
A  farmer  of  West  Cialena,  died  man)-  years  ago, 
lea\ino-  two  children — Charles,  still  lixino;- on  the 
old   farm,  and    Mrs.  Caklerwood,  of  Cjalena. 

I  )i:sco.Mi;s. — The  I  )escombs  located  in  Mis- 
souri, near  St.  Louis.  A  number  of  their  chil- 
tlren  and  ^grandchildren  are  now  li\ino-  in  Mis- 
souri  and   California. 

SciiADiKKR. — Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schadikt^r  were 
peoj)le  of  more  than  ordinary  culture.  Fhey 
left  the  settlement  at  an  early  date  and  took  up 
their  resid(;nce  at  b'ort  St.  Anthony.*  Hie 
daughter  married  Sergeant  Adams,  afterwards 
Captain  Adams  of  l.  S.  A.  Cajjtain  Adams, 
as    an    officer,    was    appreciated    for    his    many 


"'■'Mrs.  (ieii.  \';in  ('leve,  in  licr  work,  "  Tliiee  Score  N'ears  and  I'en: 
l.ife-loni;  Memones  of  Fort  Siu'lling,  Minnesota,''  alludes  to  the  Scliadi- 
kers  and  other  members  of  the  colony  who  sto])ped  at  Fort  St.  Antiiony 
on  tiieir  way  to  St.  l.miis  and  (ialena. 

40 


solclicrl)-  ([iialitics.  lie  dit'd  some  \('ars  di^o, 
IcaviiiL,^  a  widow,  who  now  is  living-  in  l',\ans- 
ton.   Illinois. 

The  children  and  j^n-andchildnMi  of  X'arini^-. 
I''rhler.  P)ri(kler,  C.erher,  Tachio  and  Swit/(;r  are 
livino-   in    the   lead    mine    region. 


41 


1  <>l    1>    (111:1  LAIN. 


I'KTKK     KINUKSIlAi   III.K. 


iRtii'.  \i  i:\  \Miri;  (.iiimiik. 


run  111.  ^HikMi.K. 


■  I-.N.   A.    I  .   1  mil    \IN. 


I 


STATHMbNT,  Hlc,  OH  THH  HAKl.  OH  SHl.klHK. 


'I'Ik'  |)l;iiis  of  coIoni/atiDn,  pioiiiolcd  b\'  llie  ICarl  ot 
Selkirk  in  Mriti-^li  North  Anifrica,  lia\c,  lor  some  tiiiic 
|)ast.  gi\cii  yi->r  to  nuich,  and  ^rns>,  niistrpri'sentation. 
More  than  coinnion  pains  ha\e  been  taken,  b\  his  opjx)- 
nents,  to  mislead,  and  piejiidire.  tlie  public;-  but  such 
attempts,  when  the  ()i)i)orinnit\  lor  strict  inve  ^^ation 
arrives,  can  have  no  other  ellect  tliaii  to  recoil  upon  those 
whose  studied  object  has  been  to  calumniate  an  indixiduai. 
and  conceal  the  truth.  It  is  therefore  exlremeKdesirabU' 
that  the  real  circumstances  of  the  case  should  be  bi-tter 
understood,  and  that  the  true  nature,  and  extent  of  those 
extraordinary  acts,  b\-  which  liis  plans  have  hitherto  been 
thwarted,  should  be  deNelojjed.  The  documents  wliich  I 
have  to  produce,  and  the  facts  which  1  am  enable(l  to  state, 
cannot  fail  to  throw  much  li^dit  u|)on  the  subject.  These 
I  shall  endeavor  to  submit  as  clearly,  and  concisely,  a  pes 
sible,—  but  it  will  be  reipiisite  to  trace  tliem  -shortly  from 
their  commencement. 

In  doing  so,  1  conceive,  it  will  not  benece->sary  for  me 
to  enter  upon  the  general  subjec  t  of  the  emigration  from 
this  country  to  North  America:  or  the  \  lews  of  the  Marl 
of  Selkirk  in  forming  that  settlement  which    has  been   the 

47 


object  of  such  enmity  and  misrepresentation  ^  His  Lord- 
ships senliments  on  the  general  <piestion  of  emigration 
have  been  long  before  the  pid)lic  ;  and.  since  he  first  drew 
its  attention,  in  1S05,  to  this  important  subject,  a  marked 
change  has  taken  place,  not  only  in  the  opinions  of  nu:ny 
of  those  who  then  disagreed  with  him,  but  also  in  the  con- 
duct of  (".overnment,  which  has,  of  late  years,  humanely 
afforded  every  reasonable  facility  for  the  conveyance,  to 
our  own  colonies,  of  those  emigrants  ichielly  from  Ireland 
and  Scotland),  who  were  but  too  much  disposed  to  settle 
in  the  United    States. 

The  Karl  of  Selkirk  having,  in  the  year  iSi  1.  obtained 
from  the  l^u<lson'>  Bay  Company,  a  grant  of  land  within 
the  terniGiN  owed  upon   them   b\-  their   Charter,  pro- 

ceeded, in  conformity  with  one  of  the  principal  objects  of 
tlie  conveyance,  to  establish  agricultural  settlers  upon  the 
lands  he  had  so  obtained. — The  right  to  the  soil,  as  vested 
in  the  ComiK'ny,  and  the  legality  of  the  grant,  were  fully 
supported  1)\- the  opinions  of  several  of  the  most  eminent 
counsel  in  England, — of  Sir  Samuel  Romilly,  Mr.  (now 
Mr.    justice)    Holroyd,  Mr.  Cruise,    Mr.  Scarlett,  and  Mr. 

Bell. His  Lordship  therefore  proceedeil,  without  delay, 

to  make  the  re^iuisite  arrangements  for  the  ])roposed  set- 
tlement.—The  Hudson's  Bay  Company,  as  empowered  by 
their  Charter,  appointed  Mr.  Miles  Macdonell,  formerly 
Captain  of  the  (Queen's  Rangers,  to  be  Covernor  of  the 
distvict  of  Ossiniboia,  within  which  the  settlement  was  to 
be  formed,  and  the  same  gentleman  was  nominated,  by  the 
Earl  of  Selkirk,  to  superintend  the  colony,  and  take  cliarge 
of  the  settlers. 

In  the  autumn  of  the  following  year,  (1X12),  Mr. 
Miles  Macdonell,  with  a  small  parly,  arriveil  at  the  spot 
which  had  been  selected  for  the  settlement.      He   immedi- 

48 


i 


i 


ately  proceeded  to  erect  houses,  and  nuike  every  necessary 
preparation  for  the  arri\al  of  the  first  detatchment  of  set 
tiers,  wliich  was  soon  expected.  The  situation  which  had 
been  chosen  for  the  colony  was  on  the  banks  of  the  Red 
River,  (hit.  50°  North,  King.  97''  West  of  London.)  about 
forty  or  fifty  miles  from  its  entrance  into  Lake  A\'inii)ic, 
and  near  its  conlliience  with  the  (Jssinibo\ne  Ri\er. — At 
the  heyinnint:  of  the  vear  iNi::.  the  settlement  consisted  of 
about  an  liuadred  persons.  —  In  June,  1814,  they  received 
an  addition  of  fift)  more,  and  in  September  following,  the 
total  number  of  settlers,  ami  labourers,  amounted  to  about 
two  hundred.  In  the  course  of  the  same  \ear,  between 
eighty  and  ninety  additional  emigrants,  from  the  Highlands 
of  Scotland,  arri\ed  at  Hudson's  Bay,  for  the  purpose  of 
proceeding  to  the  settlement,  having  been  induced  to  join 
their  friends  and  relations  at  Red  River,  from  the  favour- 
able accounts^  which  the  latter  had  transmitted  to  them, 
of  the  lands  upt)n  which  the\-  were  settling,  and  the  llatter- 
ing  prospects  that  awaited  them. — This  last  mentioned 
l)arly,  however,  did  not  arrive  at  the  settlement  until  after 
it  was  broken  up,  for  the  first  time,  as  shall  be  noticed  in 
the  secpiel. 

From  the  commencement  of  the  Red  River  settlement 
until  the  winter  of  1.S14  15.  and  the  following  spring, 
there  occurred  nothing  of  any  material  importance  to 
interrui)t  the  ])rogress  of  this  infant  colony'''.  -The  diffi- 
culties, which  were  in  some  degree  unavoidable  at  the 
beginning  of  an  establishment  of  that  nature,  were  ha[i|>ily 
got  o\er. — The  heads  of  families,  as  they  arrived,  were 
put    in    possession    of  regular    lots    of  land,    which    they 

*  h  was  naiiK'd  llu-  l\'ildo)uiu  Seltleinrnt,  from  the  iiaiiic  oi  llie 
parish,  in  the  county  i>f  Suliiorlaiid,  from  wheiu-c  llic  i^rcaU'r  ]Kirt 
of  the  settlers  liati   emiijrated. 


49 


immediately  bc.uan  to  cultivate  -.—houses  were  built  ;  a  mill 
was  erected  ;  sheep  and  cattle  were  sent  up  to  the  settle- 
U\ent  :   and  all   practicable  means  were  taken  to  forward 
the  agricultural  purposes  of  the  colony.      The  spot  which 
had  been  selected,  had  been  ascertained  to  be  of  the  high- 
est  fertility,    and  of  the  most  easy  cultivation.      Though 
woods  abounded  in  the  neighbourhood,containing  a  variety 
of  the  finest  timber,  yet  no  trees  were  recjuired   to  be  cut 
down,  or  roots  to  be  cleared  away,    from   the  lands  that 
were    approi)riated    to     husbandry.— The    expensive    and 
tedious  operation  of  clearing  away  heavy  woods,  before 
the  ground  can  be  tilled,  (a  measure   indispensable  in  most 
of  the    new    settlements    in    North    America)   w^as  totally 
unnecessary    upon    the    banks    of    the     Red    River  : — the 
plough,  from   the  first,  met  with  no  obstruction,  and  the 
si)il  proved    in  the  highest  degree  rich  and  productive. — 
Tlie  climate  had  long  been  ascertained  to  be  equal  to  that 
of  any  part  of  Canada,  and  with  less  snow  in  the  winter. 
The   river   abounded   witli    fish,  the   extensive   plains  with 
buffaloe,  and  the  woods  with   elk,  deer,  and  game.      The 
hunting  grounds  of  the    Indians  were   not  at  all  interfered 
with  ;  and,   by  the   term   of  the  grant,   both    the  grantee, 
and  those   who  held   under  him   as   settlers,  were   entirely 
precluded   from   being   concerned  in  the  fur   trade.     The 
district  indeed  had  almost  already  been  exhausted  of  tliose 
animals,    wliose  furs  are  so  valuable.-  The  neighbouring 
tribes  of  Indians  (the  Sautoux)  proved,  from  the  first,  to  be 
friendlv,  and  well-disposed. — Serious  attempts  indeed  had 
been  made,  as  early  as  the  spring  of   1813,  by  the   clerks 
and  interpreters  era[)loyed  by  the  fur  traders  from  Mont- 
real,   to   instigate  tlie   natives   against    the   settlers. — The 
Indians  were  told  by  these  persons,  that  it  was  intended  to 
deprive  them  of  their  hunting  grounds,   and   that,   if  the 

5° 


? 


I 


I 


i 


establisliiiu'nt  at  the  Red  River  onic  obtained  a  firin  fuoi- 
in.n,  tlie  natives  would  l)e  made  slaves  of  by  the  colonists. - 
These  attempts  to  alienate  the  good-will  of  the  natives 
from  the  settlers  appeared,  at  first,  to  have  an  alarming 
effect,  producing  menaces,  and  jealousy,  on  the  part  of 
their  Indian  neighbours.—  Mr.  Miles  Macdonell,  the  (lov- 
ernor  of  the  district,  soon  found  means,  however,  of 
doing  away  the  unfavorable  impressions  which  had  been 
raised.  —  He  held  conferences  with  the  Sautonx  tribes,  and 
not  only  succeeded  in  obtaining  the  (ontinuance  of  tlieir 
friendship,  but  also  the  promise  of  their  supreme  chief  to 
encourage  the  Indians  of  Lake  la  Pluie  to  draw  nearer 
towards  the  Red  River,  for  the  purpose  of  planting  Indian 
corn,  and  establishing  villages.  —  From  this  ])eriod  llie 
Indians,  in  the  neiglibourhood,  were  ujion  the  most 
friendlv  footing  with  the  colonists,  and  continued  so  to 
the  last  without  interruption. — There  appeared,  therefore, 
nothing  likely  to  occur  which  wouh.i  ■\pede  the  settlers  in 
their  agricultural  ])ursuits,  nor  were  they  tliemselves 
apprehensive  of  an\-  molestation.— The  Earl  of  Selkirk,  at 
the  commencement  of  the  settlement,  had  sent  up  some 
light  brass  field-jiieces,  swivels,  and  muskets,  for  its  pro- 
tection ;  and  an  additional  <piantity()f  arms  and  ammuni- 
tion, which  had  been  furnished  by  Government  for  the 
defence  of  me  colony,  was  received  there  in  the  summer 
of  1.S14.—  In  sliort,  the  settlers  appeared  confident  of 
tlieir  security,  contented  with  their  situation,  and  hap|i\' 
in  their  ])rospects  :  nor  did  there  exist  any  reasonable 
ground  to  doubt,  that,  if  left  undisturbed,  the  colony  in  a 
few  years  would  have  been  completely,  and  firmly,  estab- 
lished. This  indeed,  must  have  been  the  deciiled  opinion 
at  the  time,  even  of  those  who  proved  to  be  its  most  invet- 
erate opponents,  otherwise  they  never  wouUl  have  thought 

5s 


it  necessary  lo  lake  violent  means  to  destroy  it,— Had  the 
settlement  been  likely  to  fail  from  canses  inherent  in  its 
nature,  or   arising   from   the    remoteness   of    its  situation, 
or   other  local  circumstances,  its   enenues  (and   none  were 
better  juds^^es  than   they)   would  doubtless  have  left  it  to 
its    fate  :    and.    remaining    i)assive    spectators  of    its  de- 
^truction,  would  gladly   have  permitted  the  colony  to  die 
a  natural    death,   instead   of    incurring  anxiety,   expense, 
and   the   risk   of  the  vengeance   of   the    law,    by    adopting 
those  active  measures,    to   which    they    resorted,    for  the 
purpose  of  strangling  it  in   its  infancy.— P.y  the  enemies 
of  this  colony,  I  mean  the   North-West  Company*  of  Fur 
Traders  at   Montreal,— whose   hostility    to   the   settlement 
and    outrages    against    their    fellow    subjects,    have  been 
carried    to    a    pitch    so    .Ireadful,    as    almost    to  surjjass 
belief.       It    may  be    proper,    in    a    few  words,   to    trace 
their  enmitv  from   its  commencement." 


The  foregoing  statement  continues  at  considerable 
length,  and  gives  a  detailed  account  of  the  outrageous 
conduct  of  the  partners  or  directors,  clerks,  employees 
and  servants  of  the  North-West  Fur  Company  in  their 
efforts  to  destroy  the  settlement.  Threats  and  intimida- 
tions were  followed  by  the  seizure  of  the  cannons,  lire- 
arms  and  amnmnition  of  the  settlers  furnished  them  by 
the  Earl  of  Selkirk  to  protect  the  settlement,  the  burn- 
ing of  their  homes,  and  finally   by  an  attack   on  Oover- 


*.\lthough  the  Norlh-Wesl  Kur  Traclers  of  Monlieal  rumniuiily 
;;.)  by  the  name  of  a  Company,  they  are  not  a  chartered  body.— 
An  account  of  the  origin  and  coiistilulion  of  this  powerful  associa- 
tion may  be  seen  in  a  pamphlet  lately  published  by  the  Earl  of  Sel 
kirk,  entitled,  "  .\  Sketch  of  the  British  Kur  Trade  in  Norlli 
America,''  etc..  etc. 

52 


= 


nor  Scinplf  and  his  iiartv,  whith  resulted  in  tlu-  mas- 
sacre of  the  Governor  and  over  twenty  of  his  followers. 
In  iSi6,  the  Karl  of  Selkirk,  havini,^  learned  that  the 
"Rorth-West  Company  intended  to  drive  out  of  the  country 
the  settlers,  and  that  the  work  had  already  been  begun, 
at  once  sailed  from  I'',ngland  for  Canada.  Here,  hav- 
ing received  more  definite  information  of  the  outrages 
committed,  he  obtained  from  the  government  the  services 
of  a  company  of  the  De  Meuron  regiment,  and  also  that 
of  a  number  of  armed  volunteers.  With  this  force  he 
proceeded  to  the  settlement  at  Reel  River,  at  first  called 
Kildonan. 

He  broke  u])  several  tra<ling  posts  l)elonging  to  the 
North-West  Company  and  arrested  a  number  of  the 
leaders,  who  were  taken  to  Montreal  to  be  tried  by  the 
courts.  Unfortunately,  however,  with  few  exceptions  all 
the  colonists  or  settlers  left  the  country,  most  of  them 
making  their  way  to  Lower  Canada,  a  few  returning  to 
their  native  country  by  way  of  the  Hudson  Hay  route. 
Soon  after  the  return  of  the  Earl  to  England  in  iSi6. 
the  Hudson  Bay  Company  having  absorbed  the  North- 
West  Company,  and  i)eace  having  been  restored,  he 
turned  his  attention  to  the  matter  of  securing  settlers 
for  the  Red   River  country. 

The  French-Swiss  colony  of  1S21  was  the  result  of 
his  efforts. 

I  give  below  one  of  a  half  score  of  affidavits  of 
eye  witnesses,  taken  by  the  I'.arl  at  Montreal,  relating 
to  the  destruction  of  the  settlement  in  1.S16,  Also  a 
statement  by  Mr.  Prichard,  one  of  the  settlers  and 
superintendent    of    the    colony. 


.'!.•> 


\ 


I 


I 


I 


\ 


} 


Peposition  of  p.  c.  pambrun. 

Before    mc.    Thomas    Karl     of    Selkirk,    one    of    his 
Majesty's  justices,    assigned    to    keep    the    peace    in   the 
western    district     of     Upper     Canada,     appeared.     Pierre 
C:hrisoU),Li;ue     I'ambrun.    who.    being    duly   sworn    on  the 
Holv   Evangelists,   deposes,  that  in  the    month    of    April 
last,  he  was  sent   to   the   trading    post    of    the     Hudson's 
Bay  Company,  at  {)///  .l/^/r/Zr.  by  order  of  the  deceased 
Ciovernijr  Sem])le,    from   whom   tlie    deponent  received  a 
letter  of  instruction,  a  copy  of  which  he  has  attested  as 
relation    hereto.— That    when  he  arrived,   he  found   that 
at   the  fort  or  trading  post  of  the  North-West  Comi)an\. 
near  the  same   place,  were  assembled,    a  great  number  of 
the   men,  commonly  called   Ikules,  Metifs,  or  half-breeds, 
r/c.    the  bastard  sons  of   Indian  conctibines.  kept  by  the 
partners  or  servants  of  the    North-West  Company  :   that 
these  people  had   been  collected    from  a  great  distance, 
some   of  them    having    come    from    Cumberland    House, 
and  others    from    the    Upper    Saskatchwan,  or  Fort  des 
Prairies:   that    they   uttered    violent    threats    against    the 
colonists    on     the     Red    River,    in    which    the    deponent 
understood  them    to    be    encouraged    by    Mr.   Alexander 
XFDonell,  then  comiuanding  for    the    North-West    Com- 

55 


pany.— That  in  llu'  bcgininnj,' of  May.  Mr.  ( It'orj^c  Sutli- 
L-rlaiid,  conunamling  ilic  1  ludsoti'^  Ha\  jxist,  embarked 
with  the  (leiMincnt  and  tweiit) -two  nun.  in  live  boats, 
l()a<led  with  twenty-two  packs  of  furs,  and  about  six 
hundred  bai^s  of  ])eini(an.-  That  as  the\  were  going 
ilown  the  ri\er  on  or  about  tlie  i2lh  (hiy  of  May,  lliey 
were  attacked  b\  a  i)art\  of  fort\  nine  ser\ants  of  tlie 
N'ortli-West  Company,  comijosed  partly  of  Canadians  and 
partly  of  lialf-breeds.  under  the  comnuind  of  Cuthbert 
(irant,  Thomas  M'Ka\.  Roderick  M'Ken/ie  and  Peter 
Pangman  Hostonois,  clerks  or  interpreters  of  the  Norih- 
West  Company,  and  Brisbois,  a  guiile  in  their  service,  by 
whom  they  were  attacked  with  force  of  arms  and  taken 
prisoners,  and  brought  to  the  fort  of  the  Nortli-West 
Company,  when  the  deponent  saw  Mr.  Alexander  M 'Don- 
ell,  who  avowed  that  it  was  b\'  his  order  that  the  saiil 
Grant  and  others  had  taken  them  jjrisoners,  and  seized 
on  the  provisions  and  other  jiroperty  of  the  Hudson's 
Ha\  Company,  pretending  that  the  measure  was  justi li- 
able, in  retaliation  for  Mr.  Robertson's  having  lately 
taken  the  North-West  Com|)any's  fort  at  the  Forks  of 
Red  River,  and  declaring  that  it  was  liis  intention  to 
starve  the  ct)lonists  and  servants  of  the  Hudson's  Hay 
Company,  till  he  should  make  them  surrender. --That 
after  having  retained,  for  five  days,  the  servants  of  the 
Hudson's  Hav  Company,  taken  prisoners  as  aforesaid, 
the  said  Ale.\ander  M'Donell  liberated  them,  after  having 
made  them  ])romise  not  to  take  up  arms  against  the 
North-West  Company,  but  the  deponent  was  still  kept 
in  close  confinement.  That  towards  tlie  end  of  May,  the 
said  Alexander  M'Donell  embarked  in  liis  boats  and 
proceeded  down  the  river,  escorted  by  a  party  of  half- 
breeds   on   horseback,   who  followoil    them  by  land,  and 

56 


i 


tliat   he   carried    witli    liim    tlu-   provisions  ami   fnrs   wliirh 
his   pcoi.'lc   had   taken    on    the    i-'tli.      That    the   (lt,'i>.)iHiil 
was   madr   to   embark     in    one   of   the   l)oats,    and   as   they 
were  comini^  down   tlie   river,    lie   was    told   bv  >eve;-rd    of 
the   servants   of   the    North  West    Company,  that   Alexan- 
der    M'Donell     had     said     the     business     of     last     \ear 
was   a   irille   in   comparison   with   that     which    wonld    lake 
place   this   year,    and   that  the    North -West   Company   and 
the   half-breeds    were   now  one   and    the   same.      That,    at 
the     Forks    of    ().ssiniboyne     River,    they   met    a     .^autoux 
chief  with     his    band,    to    whom     the   said    .Mr.    M'Donell 
made   a   speech,  the   pnrjjort   of   which  was   that   the  Imi.l;- 
lish  (meaning  the  settlers   on    Red  River,  and  the  ser\ants 
of  the   Hndson's   Hay  Company)    were  spoilini^  the   lands 
which    belonLjed    to    the     Indians  and    half-breeds  onl\   ; 
that     they    were    drivini<    away    the    buffaloe,    and   would 
render    the     Indians    poor  and     miserable,    but    that    the 
North -West   Company   would   drive   them   away   since   the 
Indians  did    not    choose    to    do    it  ;     that    if  the   settlers 
resisted,  the  ground  should  be  drenched    with  their  blood: 
that  none   should   be   spared  ;    that   he    did  not    need    the 
assistance  of  the    Indians,    but  nevertheless  he   would     be 
glad    if  some  of  their  young   men  would   join   him.    -That 
when     the   i)artv   came    within    a    few   miles   of  the    Hud- 
son's  Hay  Company's   fort  at    Brandon    House,    the    said 
Cuthbert  Grant   was   sent  with   a   party  of  about    twenty- 
five    men,    who    took     the    post    and    pillagetl    it   of  every 
thing,  including  not   only  the  goods,  provisions,  and  turs, 
belonging   to   the    Company,    but   also    the   ])rivale    j)rop- 
erty  of  their   servants,    which     the  deponent   saw   di-.tril)- 
uted   among  the   servants  of   the    North-West    Comjjany, 
Canadians  as  well    as    half-breeds. — That  after  this,    the 
said     M'Donell     divided     his     forces     into  brigade>,   and 


57 


■ii^iwiuMPjU 


(!iitlil)CTt  Graiit.  I,arcT]K'.  Alexander  Fiaser.  and  Anioiiu- 
IIiidIc,  were  a|)|)(>iiited  to  coinniaiid  dillereiil  bri^fades. 
and  that  Serapliim  Lamar  acted  as  lieutenant  mcr  the 
whole,  under  the  >aid  M'Doneil  :  tliat  the  whoK'  loree 
amounted  to  about  one  hundred  and  twent)'  men.  amon^' 
whom  there  were  six  Indians.-  That  on  arrixinij  at  port- 
age des  Prairie-.,  thi'  pemican  was  lan(le<l,  and  arringed 
so  as  t(i  lorm  a  -.maU  fort,  guarded  I)\  two  brass  swivels, 
which  had  been  taken  last  year  from  the  stores  of  the 
settlement.  That  on  or  aboui  the  i.Xlh  of  June,  two 
(lays  after  tluir  arri\al  at  portage  des  I'rairirs,  the  said 
('.rant.  I,acerpe,  l'"raser,  and  Iloole.  and  Thomas  M'Kay, 
were  sent  with  about  seventy  men  to  attack  the  colony, 
and  the  said  M'Doneil,  with  several  of  his  officers,  and 
about  forty  men,  remained  with  the  pemican.  That  in 
the  evening  of  the  20th  of  June,  a  messenger  arrived 
from  Cuthbert  Crant,  who  reported  that  they  had  killed 
Covernor  Semi)le,  with  live  of  his  officers  and  sixteen 
of  his   men.  •'■  "'  ■■'■  ■'■'■  ■:;■ 

Sworn    before    me,     at     Fort    W'illians,     on    the     16th 
da\    of    August,    1816. 

S 1: 1 .  K  I  K  K ,     1 .    1 ' . 


S« 


STATEMHNT   OK   MR.    PRICHAHLj. 


.! 


In  the  course  of  the  winter  wc  were  nun  li  ahiriiied 
by  reports  that  the  luilt-l)ree{ls  were  assembling;  in 
all  jjarts  of  the  North  for  the  purpose  of  (Iri\in,u  us 
away,  and  that  the\'  were  exjjected  to  arrive  at  the  set- 
tlement early   in    the  sju-in<,f. 

The  nearer  the  si)rini;  apj)roa(:hed  the  more  prevalent 
these  reports  ^^rew,  and  letters  received  from  different 
posts  confirmed  the  same.  Our  liunters  and  those  free 
Canadians  who  had  supplied  us  with  provisions  were 
much  terrified  with  the  dread  of  the  punishment  tliey 
might  receive  for  the  support  tlie\  had  given  us.  My 
neighbours,  the  half-breeds,  began  to  show  a  disposition 
to  violence,  and  threatened  to  shoot  our  hunter  lloilen- 
aud's  horse,  and  himself,  too,  if  he  did  not  desist  from 
running  the  butialoe  ;  at  the  same  time  they  told  me 
that  if  I  did  not  |)revent  him  from  so  doing  they  would 
go  in  a  body  on  horseback,  drive  the  cattle  away  and 
cause  my  people  to  starve. 

In  the  month  of  March,  Messrs.  l''raser  and  ilesse 
arrived    at    my    neiglibour's  house,   whicli    ga\e  us  great 


*  One    of  the    settlers    and    suiieiintendcnt    of    the    settlement   at 
Reil   River  in  the  winter  of   i(Si5  and    iSi(). 

59 


uneasiness,  as  l''raser  'represented  as  tin-  leader  wf  tin- 
half  breeds,  and  that  he  Was  a  daring  and  \  iolciit  man. 
On  his  arrival  he  sent  a  threatenin},'  tnessa},'e  lo  one  of 
my  hunters,  and  wlienever  an  oiiportunity  off'  red  he  was 
very  assiduous  in  iiis  endeavors  to  seduci-  from  us  our 
servants  and  settlers  ;  likewise,  a  report  was  verv  cut 
mil  tliat  a  i)arly  of  half-breeds  and  Ooe  Indians  were 
expected  to  arrive  from  I'ort  des  Prairies,  on  the  Sas- 
katchawan  River,  as  soon  as  the  melting,'  of  the  snow 
would  admit  of  their  traveliu},',  and  the  language  of 
every  free  Canadian  wc  saw  was  "I.uefie/  nous  bien 
pour  I'amour  de    Dieu  ;    mefie/    vous   bien." 

At  the  same  lime  we  were  informed  that  Uie  halt 
breeds  of  the  North  West  ('onijiany  v>ho  were  then  in  tin- 
plains  were  ordered  home  to  their  house.  This  assemblage 
of  those  men  gave  the  most  serious  apprehension  for  the 
safety  of  the  settlers  and  those  servants  who  were 
employed  to  bring  provisions  from  the  i)lains  to  tlie 
fort. 


6p 


J 


« 


